infrastructures
ChemBio Infrastructure
@CQE-Ciências
Equipment
ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY
Atomic Force Microscopy is a very high-resolution scanning probe microscopy, which can image and measure surfaces at a nanoscale, beyond the optical diffraction limit, allowing the acquisition of the samples’ surface profiles, including high-resolution three-dimensional images.
AFM allows morphological characterization, with high spatial resolution, of all types of materials, including biological samples, permitting analysis in air or in liquid. The “Peak Force QNM™” software also enables obtaining quantitative nanomechanical information, such as the measurement of adhesion forces.
All researchers involved in the areas of chemistry, biochemistry, material sciences, pharmacy, dental medicine, biology, geology, electronics and energy, can find on the AFM equipment a powerful tool to provide new insights and ideas to expand current or future research projects.
FOURIER-TRANSFORM SPECTROMETER
Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) equipped with a universal transmission module for analyzing both solids and liquids. The equipment can also be used with the diffuse reflectance accessory Pike “EasyDiff” designed to analyze a wide variety of solid samples often used for the analysis of pharmaceuticals, inorganic solids and minerals, illicit drugs and powdered chemicals.
This equipment can also be used with a horizontal reflection unit A518/Q, with a grazing incidence of 80º, especially designed for the analysis of thin films on reflective substances and materials.
BSL-2 Cell Culture & Flow Cytometry
The BSL-2 Cell Culture & Flow Cytometry Infrastruture provides a variety of specific equipment for carrying out tests and research using cell cultures as an important experimental tool to improve biomedical knowledge.
The BSL-2 is equipped with a flow cytometer, a Classe II biosafety cabinet, two CO2 incubators, an inverted phase contrast microscope and other supporting cell culture equipment such as a low-speed centrifuge, a heating bath and a fridge/freezer. The BSL-2 Cell culture laboratory is certified by the Environmental Portuguese Agency, APA (Agência Portuguesa do Ambiente), for the contained use of genetically modified microorganisms. The BSL-2 equipment is available to researchers involved in the areas of biochemistry, biology, pharmacy and medicinal chemistry such as those working on cancer research, toxicology, immunology and hematology studies.
DYNAMIC LIGHT SCATTERING
Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) for the determination of particle size and transmittance on a wide range of analytes such as such as metallic and polymeric nanoparticles, aggregated compounds, liposomes, polymers and hydrogels. It gives rapid and accurate insight about the hydrodynamic size and related parameters of macromolecules and nanoparticles in solution and provides the tools to optimize them by evaluating how they change with time, pH, temperature, and concentration.
The Litesizer DLS 500 also measures zeta potential, molecular mass and refractive index.
