Electrophoresis Chamber
name: label: user
content: Genentech, Inc.
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: This object is part of a set-up for vertical gel electrophoresis. Gel electrophoresis is a technique that uses the electrical charges of molecules to separate them by their length. It is often used to analyze DNA fragments.
label: Description (Brief)
content: This set-up was cobbled together by scientists in the lab at Genentech, a biotechnology company, in the late 1970s and used through the 1980s. Its different components were purchased from several suppliers in the San Francisco Bay area and assembled together with binder clips. Although gel electrophoresis set-ups were available for purchase at the time, scientists found their own set-ups to be more reliable and easier to troubleshoot.
label: Description (Brief)
content: Because of its long length, this device was particularly useful for sequencing stretches of synthetic DNA created in the lab. A long length allows for greater resolution between molecular fragments, an important consideration in sequencing efforts.
label: Description (Brief)
content: Source:
label: Description (Brief)
content: Interview with Dan Yansura, Genentech scientist, 12/20/2012
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: California, South San Francisco
label: used
content: United States: California, South San Francisco
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Biological Sciences
label: See more items in
content: Biotechnology and Genetics
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content: Science & Mathematics
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Genentech
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 2012.0198.02
label: catalog number
content: 2012.0198.02
label: accession number
content: 2012.0198
objectType: label: Object Name
content: electrophoresis chamber
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: plastic (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: glass (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 18 1/2 in x 9 in x 4 1/4 in; 46.99 cm x 22.86 cm x 10.795 cm