The Viral Core facility of the Department of Integrative Medical Sciences is an important biotechnological and knowledge resource for the Department’s investigators and their collaborators who request assistance in the use of viral gene expression vectors. The primary function of the core is to construct and purify viral vectors for basic research studies in tissue culture and animal experimentation. The services provided by the core facility include construction of new adenovirus vectors, large scale purification, quantification of adenovirus gene vectors and long term storage. The facility will also assist in bacterial cell transformation, plasmid isolation and large scale purification if needed.

Quality control performed by the Viral Core will determine the accurate quantity (plaque assay when available) and purity of the vector generated. Some sequencing assistance of the final virus gene constructs can be provided by the facility’s ability to outsource to a reliable sequencing service. Although the Viral Core facility is limited to adenovirus constructs at this time, expansion of the core’s ability to use adeno-associated viruses, retroviruses and retroviral lentiviruses may occur depending upon the need of our investigators. The core facility will assist the investigator in biosafety issues and requirements of the Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) Institutional Biosafety Committee for review of their proposed work. The core facility is also available for consultation on experiments requiring gene transfer and expression.