The Department of Biological Services provides specialized facilities and services to more than 700 scientists and students in areas of molecular biology, protein analysis, cell biology, bacteriology, and immunology. These services include DNA sequencing, protein sequencing, oligonucleotide synthesis, peptide synthesis, biological computing, bioinformatics, cell sorting, antibody preparation, bacterial fermentation and downstream processing, irradiation, and maintenance of electronic equipment and microcomputers. In addition, staff members of the Biological Services provide courses through the Feinberg Graduate School on the use of the systems. The Bioinformatics Unit works together with the Genome Center to generate database-searching tools and import and provide access to a large number of genetic databases. Most of the services are also available to scientists from other academic institutions.
Public databases are freely accessible through the Internet.
The biological Services are actively involved in research programs in the area of bioinformatics, thereby contributing to the Genome Project. In 2000 a new Lightcycler, used for quantitative analysis of PCR products was introduced. The DNA-chip laboratory was transferred from the Genome center. Finally, the purchase of two new state of the art spectrophotometers is being finalized.