Our Laboratories

Owned by SAXS Cluster (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Jul 16, 2024 by AS user wiki admin
6 min read

There are a number of onsite laboratories at ANSTO Australian Synchrotron. In order to access the laboratories you require a laboratory induction. The lab induction comprises two parts - an online induction that is valid for 1 year and an on-site induction that is valid for 3 years. For information on the Lab Inductions please check our Lab Inductions page HERE.

Onsite facilities include:

Chemistry Laboratory

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This lab (G.14) is located close to the SAXS/WAXS beamline and is a general use wet lab for chemical and other sample preparation.

Basic equipment available in this lab includes:

  • Fume cupboards

  • Centrifuges - refrigerated with various rotors (well plates, eppendorfs, 15 and 50 ml tubes) and a mini centrifuge for eppendorfs

  • Desiccators, filtration systems, plasma cleaner & vacuum pumps

  • Ovens (Drying & vacuum), incubators (refrigerated up to 60 oC)

  • Refrigerators, freezers (-20 and -30 oC), ULT Freezers (-80oC)

  • RO & Ultrapure (Milli-Q) water, ice machine

  • Hotplates, stirrers, mixers, water bath, sonicator baths and probe sonicator, balances, pH/EC meter

Specialized equipment:

Argon filled glove box for use with oxygen and/or moisture sensitive samples.

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Recommended that you book/schedule your use of this equipment with the Laboratory staff. *Requires additional training.

Electronic pellet press with 13mm, 1/4” and 1/2” dies. Max pressure 10 US tons.

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Recommended that you book/schedule your use of this equipment with the Laboratory staff. *Requires additional training.

Spin coater.

Nanodrop & Nanodrop One.

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Biochemistry Laboratory

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This lab (G.03) is located close to the MX / BioSAXS beamlines and is a general use wet lab for biochemistry including bacteria and protein work. It also houses a small preparation lab for MX beamlines adjacent to the main lab.

Basic equipment available in this lab includes:

  • Fume cupboards

  • Biosafety cabinet

  • Centrifuges - refrigerated with various rotors (well plates, eppendorfs, 15 and 50 ml tubes) and a mini centrifuge for eppendorfs

  • Bacteria incubator

  • Shaker Incubators (inc. refrigerated)

  • Rotary & rocker platform shakers

  • Refrigerators, freezer (-20 oC), ULT freezer (-80oC)

  • RO & Ultrapure (Milli-Q) water

  • Hotplates, stirrers, mixers, water bath, balances, pH/EC meter

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MX Sample Preparation Lab includes:

  • Humidity Controlled Sample Mounting Environment (aka the "damp box")

  • Xenon derivatisation chamber

Specialized equipment:

Rotary evaporator.

Shaking incubator.

Recommended that you book/schedule your use of this equipment with the Laboratory staff.

AKTA Equipment.

Recommended that you book/schedule with your beamline scientist for use (SAXS/WAXS & BioSAXS).

Miscellaneous Labs

This is a cluster of new labs behind Security in Building 200, built to cater to more specialized sample preparation.

In this space we have:

  • Microscope labs x2

    • Olympus BX-53M Petrographic Microscope - See Andrew Langendam, XFM for more information

    • Nikon SMZ25 Microscope (no fluorescence) - See Simon James, MEX for more information

    • Several options for Compound and Stereo Microscopes available - See Lab Staff for more information

  • Botany Lab

    • Bench space

    • Sink

    • Power points for lighting

    • Rack available for taller plants

  • Miscellaneous Equipment Lab

    • Equipment listed below

Note: All these labs require pre-booking for equipment use and inductions. Most equipment requires further training.

Equipment available in these labs:

Microtome.

Precision saw.

Hydraulic Press.

Cell/Tissue Culture Labs

There are two Cell/Tissue Culture Laboratories onsite:

  1. Main Synchrotron building, Room G.25, near security (not currently OGTR certified but meets Australian Standards for PC2 microbiology lab) (pictured).

  2. On the first floor of the IMBL satellite building (not OGTR certified but meets Australian Standards for PC2 microbiology lab).

All cell labs have access to:

  • Class II Bio-safety cabinet/s

  • CO2 incubators

  • Centrifuges - refrigerated with various rotors (well plates, eppendorfs, 15 and 50 ml tubes) and a mini centrifuge for eppendorfs

  • Microscopes (inverted, stereo, compound available)

  • Water bath

  • RO & Ultrapure (Milli-Q) water

  • Fridge and freezer facilities

  • Access to ULT temperature freezers and LN dewars

  • Cell-counting kits

Two autoclaves are available on-site

An inverted microscope with fluorescence capabilities and a temperature and CO2Β  controlled stage can be used for time lapse photography of cell cultures. (IMBL satellite)

A Muse Cell Analyzer can be used to perform a variety of cell assays. (IMBL satellite)

A 96 well plate reader. (IMBL satellite)

If you require these labs during your beamtime, you must book/schedule your use with the Laboratory staff giving at least 2 weeks notice.

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Supplied Chemicals

The Synchrotron has some basic chemicals available for use during your experiment, including solvent wash bottles of ethanol, methanol, iso-propanol and acetone.

NOTE: All other chemicals you wish to use must be listed on your EA, even if these chemicals will be supplied by the Synchrotron. Please list these on the EA and on the sample spreadsheet together with appropriate hazards.

Contact the Lab staff in advance to check availability of the chemicals in our inventory or any other specific requirements. Please do not list chemicals on your EA under β€œchemicals you would like the Synchrotron to provide” without checking our availability first.

Chemicals available in labs:

  • Solvents - eg. ethanol, acetone, iso-propanol, methanol

  • Acids - eg. hydrochloric, acetic, nitric, sulphuric

  • Bases - eg. sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide

  • Many common lab chemicals

  • Some stains

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NOTE: Some chemicals are prohibited and will not be allowed on-site - i.e. Hydrofluoric acid, Perchloric acid. You will need to arrange a less hazardous alternative for your beamtime.

Supplied Consumables

The Synchrotron can supply the following consumables and lab supplies:

  • PPE - gloves, safety glasses, lab coats/gowns, masks

  • Glassware - beakers, measuring cylinders, volumetric flasks etc

  • Glassware - disposable - vials, pipettes

  • Plasticware - disposable – eg. tubes, serological pipettes

  • Pipettors and tips

  • Syringes and needles

  • Lab tools eg. forceps, scalpels, spatulas

If you require large quantities of consumables e.g. for cell culture activities, or require something specific, please discuss this with the Lab staff prior to your beamtime.

Laboratory Staff

The Laboratory Manager (Clare Scott) and Laboratory Technician (Kirsty Brunt) can provide the following assistance to Users:

  • Inductions – regular Lab Inductions for Users @ 9:30 am Tue to Fri | See induction information HERE.

  • Training in the safe use of equipment

  • Chemical safety – advising on storage, labelling and waste disposal

  • Advice regarding the labs – what equipment, consumables, chemicals are available; movement of equipment between labs

  • Advice regarding sample shipping – particularly samples from overseas requiring bio-security import permits

  • Booking lab facilities for Users – particularly cell culture labs, incubators, glove-box

Contact: Clare and Kirsty via AS-Labs@ansto.gov.au

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