Department Facilities
Animal Facilities
The Animal House facility maintains and provides animal stocks for
faculty in both the biology and psychology programs and remains
under the direction of the Biology Department. Its daily operation
is carried out by half-time animal health technician and
laboratory animal technologist Cindy Chrisler.
Electron Microscope and Image Analysis Center
The Electron Microscope and Image Analysis Center (EMIAC) is
located in the School of Natural Sciences at California State
University at San Bernardino. The Center includes a Scanning
Electron Microscope (SEM), a Transmission Electron Microscope
(TEM) and sample preparation facilities. In the Fall of 1992, the
Department purchased a Hitachi S-2700 Scanning Electron Microscope
(SEM) with a backscatter detector, on-line image measurement
system, a thermal video printer and a water chiller. The SEM
allows ultrastructural resolution of the surface of samples at
magnifications of 35X to 50,000X. The image obtained is a
three-dimensional image of the surface structure of the specimen.
Specimen preparation equipment also acquired at that time included
a Hummer VI-A sputter coater with carbon coating accessory and a
Tousimis Samdri-780A critical point dryer.
Funding for this phase was provided by an Instrumentation and
Laboratory Improvement (ILI) award of $62,645 from the National
Science Foundation to Drs. Thompson, Brasch and Fehn in Biology
and Dr. Leatham in Geology. This was matched with funds from the
University.
In the Fall of 1993, a Zeiss EM-900 transmission electron
microscope (TEM) was purchased with a film dessicator. Funding for
this phase came from the University. For internal morphology, the
TEM is capable of magnifications of 1,000X to 100,000X.
The School renovated a suite of rooms located in the basement of
the Biology Building to house the EMIAC. The facility includes an
SEM room, a TEM room, a specimen preparation room, a darkroom and
a light microscope room. The light microscope room houses a
fluorescence microscope, a polarizing microscope and a
phase-contrast microscope.
Image capture is available through thermal video printer on the
SEM, Polaroid prints and/or negatives on the SEM, photo negatives
on the TEM, and videotape recording of the SEM. The videotape
recording system includes two Panasonic Super-VCR's to allow for
editing and a S-video Panasonic monitor. We are also able to
project images from the light or scanning electron microscopes to
classrooms throughout the University.
A course for students (BIOL 530 or GEOL 530) teaches hands-on use
of the SEM and has been taught for several years. Students and
faculty are currently utilizing the SEM for research projects. A
course which will train students to use the TEM is being planned.
Future developments of the Center include the acquisition of
digital capture of images from both the SEM and TEM. It will then
be possible to analyze the digitized images with image analysis
software. The digitized images will also be available for
transmission to remote sites via Internet connections.
Courses Offered
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BIOL 530 - Scanning Electron Microscopy:
Theory and techniques of scanning electron microscopy.
Lectures on theory of operation of the scanning electron
microscope and specimen preparation. Laboratory includes
hands-on training in the use of the scanning electron
microscope. Laboratory projects will teach technical aspects
of specimen preparation and microscope use. Three hours of
lecture and six hours laboratory. (Also offered as GEOL 530.
Students may not receive credit for both.) Prerequisites:
senior standing and consent of instructor. (5 units)
-
BIOL 531 - Transmission Electron Microscopy:
Theory and techniques of transmission electron microscopy.
Lectures on theory of operation of the transmission electron
microscope and specimen preparation. Laboratory includes
hands-on training in the use of the transmission electron
microscope. Laboratory projects will teach technical aspects
of specimen preparation and microscope use. Three hours of
lecture and six hours laboratory. (Also offered as GEOL 531.
Students may not receive credit for both.) Prerequisites:
senior standing and consent of instructor. (5 units)
-
BIOL 532 - Techniques in Ultrastructural
Analysis: Specialized techniques in ultrastructural
analysis using either the scanning or transmission electron
microscope. Topics will vary, but will include specialized
techniques in specimen preparation, alternative image
detectors, and image analysis. Theory of the analysis and
training in the technical aspects will be covered. Three hours
of lecture and six hours laboratory. (Also offered as GEOL
532. Students may not receive credit for both.) Prerequisites:
BIOL 530 or 531, or GEOL 530 or 531 and consent of instructor.
(5 units)
