Acquisition of an ultracentrifuge for the Virology Research Center at the University of São Paulo Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine

• Grant number: 09/54215-2
• Support Opportunities: Multi-user Equipment Program
• Start date: August 01, 2010
• End date: July 31, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Luiz Tadeu Moraes Figueiredo
• Grantee: Luiz Tadeu Moraes Figueiredo
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• EMU web page: Página do Equipamento Multiusuário não informada
• Type of equipment: Tipo de Equipamento Multiusuário não informado
• Manufacturer: Fabricante não informado
• Model: Modelo não informado

Abstract

The Virology Research Center (VRC) at the USP Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine organizes a number of research projects in the area of virology. Here, in a building solely dedicated to virology, research is conducted by five research group heads, several postdoctoral students, dozens of graduate or undergraduate students, laboratory technicians, technical support staff and interns. The studies conducted here are related to a number of different viruses, with an emphasis on emerging viruses and viruses transmitted by arthropods or rodents, as well as respiratory viruses and those causing congenital infections. It often becomes necessary to generate purified virus by ultracentrifugation, which in turn necessitates a separate ultracentrifuge building, as a basic biosafety requirement. Although we can always count on the support of colleagues in another building (which is about 600 m away), where there is an ultracentrifuge to produce gradients of viruses that can be handled without special biosafety requirements, the procedure itself is prone to the generation of aerosols and could result in the unnecessary exposure of other individuals. In addition, some viruses essential to the work performed here simply can not be transported off the VRC premises. In addition, the transport of gradients of purified viruses between buildings, in the open air, often results in the mixing or breakdown of gradients obtained after hours of ultracentrifugation. Therefore, for a number of reasons, chief among which is the issue of biosafety, the VRC staff should have a ultracentrifuge dedicated to their work with viruses. (AU)