Our Laboratories
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
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.
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.
Recommended that you book/schedule your use of this equipment with the Laboratory staff. *Requires additional training.
Spin coater.
Nanodrop & Nanodrop One.
Biochemistry Laboratory
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
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:
Main Synchrotron building, Room G.25, near security (not currently OGTR certified but meets Australian Standards for PC2 microbiology lab) (pictured).
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 CO2 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.
Supplied Chemicals
The Synchrotron supplies the following basic chemicals that are available for use. Note: except for the four basic solvents available in wash bottles in labs and at beamlines: ethanol, methanol, iso-propanol and acetone, all chemicals you wish to use on site 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 discuss availability or any specific requirements. Please don’t list chemicals on your EA under “chemicals you would like the Synchrotron to provide” without checking with the Lab staff in advance that we have it in stock (or can get it in for you).
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
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