College and Department Core Facilities - University of Houston
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Additional Cores at UH

Colleges and departments maintain additional core facilities on campus that meet college- and department-level needs and are available to the larger UH research community and often also to external users.
  • Services: Provides the local research community with affordable access to advanced microscopy instrumentation and to provide training in the use of these instruments. Aims to help you get the best data from your experiments through the use of confocal microscopy, Ca2+ imaging, FRAP, FRET and other advanced microscopy techniques.
  • Equipment: Olympus FV1000 inverted confocal microscope; Leica SP8 upright confocal microscope in our main room (SR2 328A). A Leica MZ8 dissecting stereoscope is available for use in sample preparation.
Burdette Keeland, Jr. Design Exploration Center
Equipped with the latest in wood working, metal working, and digital fabrication tools, students who have attended safety orientations and instructional demonstrations have convenient access to important tools of their professions, providing them valuable experience in prototyping, fabrication, and model building as they compete in their discipline.
  • Services: Fabrication space for students at the University of Houston College of Architecture and Design with over 50 total machines.
  • Services: Engaged in developing innovative interdisciplinary reserach-based education, 21st century workforce development, outreach, and cutting edge research.
  • Equipment: Bio Fermentors; Chromatographic Systems; Sequencing amd PCR; Plate Reader and Spectrophotometer; Centrifuguration, etc.
Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling
The Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling occupies 30,565 sq. ft. in the Science and Engineering Research Center (SERC), with open laboratory space designed to facilitate and enhance collaboration and cross-disciplinary research.
  • Facilities and service centers include: Histology Core Service Center; Mammalian Cell Imaging Facility; Clinical Samples and Tissue Analysis Facility; Nucleic Acid Analysis Facility
  • Shared Facilities: Transgenic Facility
  • Services: Industry Directed Research and Development; Specialized Technical Support; Multiciscipline-Trained Professionals
  • Equipment: Allied Geophysical Laboratories; Carbonate Research Lab;  Geochemistry: ICP AES, ICP-MS Hydrogeochemistry Lab; Hydrogeology Field Equipment; MC-ICP-MS Lab; Paleomagnetics Lab; Platinum Group Element Geochemistry And Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometer Lab; Stable Isotope Lab; Thermochronology Lab; X-Ray Crystallography;  etc.
  • Services: Machine and fabrication services
  • Equipment: HAAS CNC Mill; Colcheseter 600 CNC Lathe; MSC Milling Machine; Drill Press; Bridge Port Mill; LeBlond Lathe; Band Saw; Metal Shear, Bench Shear; Bench Metal Shear; Wilton Horizontal Ban Saw; Miller TIG Welder; Misc. Grinders; etc.
  • NMR Services: Provides the University research community with affordable access to three high field NMR spectrometers available 24x7. Basic operational training to advanced experimental instruction are provided as needed.  External clients may request NMR analytical services which are worked into the University research scheduling requirements when possible.
  • Glassblowing Services: Scientific glassblowing services; custom fabricate glassware. Provides scientific machining services; fabricate apparatus and parts from a variety of materials to custom design specifications; also provide repair work and assist with design.
  • X-ray Diffractometry Services: Single crystal crystallographic analysis; X-ray powder diffraction. Equipment: X-Ray powder diffractometer; CCD X-ray diffractometer. X-ray Photoelectron spectroscopy
  • Instrumentation: JEOL ECZ400 with H/F - X dual broadband 5mm probe, JEOL ECA500 with H/F - X duel broadband 5mm probe, and a solid state 3.2mm {H}X CPMAS probe, JEOL ECA600II with H/F - X dual broadband 5mm probe.  Licensed processing software JEOL Delta 5.3 is available upon request.
College of Pharmacy Core Lab
  • Services: Local researchers as well as their students and postdoctoral associates are provided with advanced technologies and equipment to conduct innovative work in the fields of drug discovery, novel target identification and translational research that will yield the next generation of therapeutics to save lives and improve the quality of life for countless patients.
  • Equipment: FACSMelody Cell Sorter Flow Cytometer; Leica SP8 STED Confocal Microscope; Leica TP1020 Tissue Processor; IVIS XRMS In Vivo L-F Imager and X-Ray; JEOL 600 NMR; SCIEX 5500 & Shimadzu UPLC; Vevo 3100 Small Animal Ultrasound System; BioRad QX200 Droplet Digital PCR System; Anton Paar Microwave Reactor; and AKTA Pure Chromatography System.

Earth & Atmospheric Sciences Rock Physics Laboratory (RPL)
RPL supports the research efforts of the oil and gas industry by conducting research in rock physics and by providing analytical and evaluation services. The primary goal is to carry out industry oriented research, investigate reservoir rock properties, and integrate them with logging and seismic technology to solve common exploration and production problems. RPL also works with industry to provide technical services on proprietary projects.

Geosciences Remote Sensing (GeoRS) Facility

  • Services: Terrestrial Laser Scanning and the Hyperspectral Camera.
  • Equipment: Remote Sensing and GPS;  Shallow Geophysical Facilities: GSSI SIR-3000 Ground Penetrating Radar (400 MHz, 200 MHz and 100 MHz antennaes), GSSI EM Profiler. Data Storage and Web Application: 8 TB Fail Safe (redundant) File Server; GIS Server for Web Mapping Applications to share results of finished or ongoing research with clients or public; 4 iPads; Plotter Printer; etc.

Geosensing Imaging & Mapping (GIM) Laboratory – NCALM
NCALM uses an Airborne Laser Swath Mapping (ALSM) system based at the UH Geosensing Imaging & Mapping Laboratory. The state-of-the-art laser surveying instrumentation and GPS systems collect data in areas selected through the competitive NSF grant review process. Research-grade ALSM data can be used to produce highly accurate, three-dimensional, digital topographic maps of large areas of land surface.

Houston Omics Collaborative
A Proteomics/Genomics service facility at the University of Houston. Based on a non-profit model, we aim to offer various technologies and expertise in OMICs to the biomedical research community, particularly academic laboratories. Our products and services cover the entire workflow process – from assay consultation with experienced personnel to data analysis and data presentation. Collaborations are welcome.

  • Services: Cutting-edge targeted proteomics that screen 10-1000+ proteins, a variety of autoantigen microarrays for autoantibody screening, biomarker detection, genome analysis, gene expression microarrays, microRNA analysis, and a suite of data analysis options.
ICP Analytical Research Laboratories
  • Services: ICP (Inductively Coupled Plasma) research laboratory specializes in characterizing the chemical and isotopic compositions of materials, including the ability to provide direct micron-scale analysis of solid samples.
  • Equipment: CETAC LSX-213 Laser Ablation System

Ion Beam Laboratory, TcSUH
Develop and refine ion beam techniques for materials characterization and to study ion beam modification of materials for various applications.

  • Equipment: 1.7 MV Tandem Accelerator, 200 kV Ion Implanter; Gas Cluster Ion Beam System; Atomic Force Microscope; Sputter Deposition System; Thermal Annealing System; Rapid Thermal Annealing System; and Optical Spectroscope
Laser Ablation Multi-Collector ICO-MS & Geochemistry Laboratory
  • Instruments: Nu Instruments Plasma II - Multi Collector Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer equipped with 16 Faraday collectors and 5 Ion counters; Cetac Aridus II - Desolvating nebulizer; Photon Machines Analyte 193 - Short pulse eximer laser ablation system
  • Facilities: Class 500 clean lab;  Mineral separation lab

Mass Spectrometry Laboratory
The laboratory offers bottom-up proteomics services using both data-dependent and data-independent acquisitions. We provide full support for the entire workflow that includes consultation, project design, methodology development, data analysis and presentation.

  • Equipment: timsTOF Pro 2 mass spectrometer, capillary puller, liquid handler, absorbance plate reader

Materials Characterization Facility, TcSUH
The Materials Characterization Laboratory provides a wide array of materials characterization techniques, including electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction, supported by necessary sample preparation techniques.

  • Equipment: Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM); Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM); DOIL; XRD 5000; XRD Rigaku; and Electron Microprobe Analysis
Mechanical Engineering GM 2D-XRD Facility
GM 2D-XRD facility offers a state-of-the-art 2D X-ray diffraction system for advanced characterization of materials. The facility offers unprecedented speed and data quality for 2D-XRD. Typical 2D sections of large fractions of reciprocal space can be done in a matter of minutes. Complete 3D mapping of reciprocal space can be done in a matter of an hour.

Custom developed software by the PI enables reconstruction of the entire 3D volume of reciprocal space. Arbitrary sections of the reciprocal collected space can be visualized and features of interest quantified. Arbitrary number of pole figures can be rapidly reconstructed from the 3D volume.

MyNSM Printing Services
NSM-IT has been offering large-format poster printing since 2003. Our Epson Stylus Pro 9900 larger-format inkjet printer uses long-lasting Ultrachrome HDR inks printed on professional, photo-grade paper, resulting in high-impact posters, information displays, and signage. NSM-IT also provides professional-level 3D printing services to help you create prototypes that will convey your ideas and inventions to others.

Texas Center for Clean Engines, Emissions and Fuels
The UH Texas Center for Clean Engines, Emissions & Fuels is available to public and private agencies to provide independent testing of products and technologies associated with medium and heavy duty, diesel engine applications up to 80,000 GVWR vehicles. The facility and staff are fully equipped to test fuel and oil additives, engine exhaust retrofits and controls, or other technologies, for an independent evaluation of the affect of the technology on diesel engine emissions and performance.

  • Major Equipment: 500 HP AC Chassis Dynamometer (Burke Porter); MEXA 7100 Exhaust Gas Analytical System (HORIBA); MDLT 1300T Micro Dilution Tunnel (HORIBA); Multigas 2030 FTIR (MKS); UMX2 Microbalance (Mettler-Toledo)/housed in glove box; Annubar 485 Exhaust flow meter (Rosemount); External Fuel Column to measure fuel economy; Bench Scale reactor with FTIR (Thermo-Nicolet), FID (Baseline), and O2 Analyzer (Siemens); Data Link connector to vehicle’s on-board computer; Labview 7.2 Data Acquisition with both Analog and LAN connections; SDT Q600 Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TA Instruments)
  • Services: Pre-verification testing; Technology screening; Optimization of technologies; Fundamental and applied research; Concept development; Technology demonstrations
Thermal and Porosity Analysis Facility, TcSUH
TAPAF will bring together instrumentation and technical expertise in four areas of advanced materials characterization: (a) thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), (b) differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), (c) measurement of gas sorption and porosity, and (d) dilatometry.

UH Nanofabrication Lab
Since our inception in 2009, UHNF has invested in core technologies aimed towards broadening the accessibility of microfabrication technology. UHNF maintains a suite of state-of-the-art microfabrication equipment that is accessible to everyone. The staff regularly use the equipment to fabricate devices for external members and develop core technologies. We provide training, advice and openly share our experiences to provide the broadest access to our technology.
  • Equipment and Services Include: Electron Beam Lithography

, Photolithography

; Nanoimprint Lithography; 

Electron Beam Evaporation; 

Sputtering

; Sputter Coating

; Spin Coating; Reactive Ion Etching

; Ion Milling

; Wet Etching; 

Annealing

; Rapid Thermal Processing

; UV Ozone Cleaning

UH Seq-N-Edit Core (SNEC)
The University of Houston Sequencing and Editing Core (UH-SNEC) strives to advance industrial and academic processes through innovative application of modern sequencing techniques and analytics.
  • Services and Instruments include:10X Genomics Chromium Controller; Illumina NextSeq 500; Agilent 4200 TapeStation; ThermoFisher Qubit 2.0 Flourometer; Illumina MiSeq System; IncuCyte S3 Live-Cell Analysis System; Agilent AriaMx Real-Time PCR System