The Cizik Nursing Research Institute’s Biobehavioral Health Biomarker Discovery Service Center makes low-cost wet lab services available to scientists at all seven UTHealth Houston schools.
Housed within Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston, the lab provides a full range of services from specimen sample collection, preservation, and storage to assay development. Phlebotomy, DNA and RNA extractions, multiplex assays, and bioinformatics analysis consultations are among the many services offered.
The lab offers subsidized service fees for UTHealth investigators developing new grant proposals and cost-recovery pricing for funded projects.
Contact [email protected] for additional information and pricing, or submit a laboratory request.
UTHealth Houston students who wish to use the lab resources must submit a laboratory request early in the project planning stage. Student access to the lab resources is not guaranteed and must have prior approval from the lab director before beginning.
Goals of service
- Provide high-quality research support including consultation on study design, sample preparation, and data analysis to help you achieve your research goals.
- Develop a network for potential research collaboration in biobehavioral research
Facilities and equipment
Lab services are available Monday-Friday during normal business hours. The laboratory includes:
- Multiple portable lab workbenches
- Tissue culture room with modular stacked CO2 incubator units
- A refrigerated centrifuge
- Two large laminar flow biological safety cabinets for sterile applications
- Hazardous materials room
- Biological safety rooms with chemical fume hoods
- Freezer storage area for -80°C freezers connected to an alarm monitoring system
- A Millipore Milli-Q Synthesis water purification system that provides high-quality, ultra-pure water for all bioassays and procedures
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Major Assay Systems
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) - Singleplex and Multiplex Systems
- Real-Time PCR
- ChemiDoc MP Imaging System
- NanoDrop One Spectrophotometer
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Biomarker Assessment
- Blood/Plasma/Serum
- Cytokines
- HbA1c
- Lipid panel
- Catecholamines
- Cortisol
- Saliva
- Cortisol
- DHEA
- Alpha Amylase
- C-Reactive Protein
- Melatonin
- IL-1β & IL-6
- Testosterone
- Estradiol
- Blood/Plasma/Serum
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Bioinformatics analysis consultations
Contact us to discuss your project.
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Phlebotomy
Contact us for blood draws and other human sample collection options.
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Sample Preparation
The accuracy of any assay result depends on the proper preparation of the sample. We can help you with preparation of your samples for analysis.
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CLIA-authorized tests
The lab holds a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) Certificate of Waiver from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. This certification authorizes the lab to provide a variety of tests for clinical purposes.
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Shipping
Our lab staff can help with shipping information and/or shipment of samples.
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Storage
State-of-the-art cryopreservation freezers (-80°C) for long-term sample storage.
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Cost
Contact [email protected] for additional information and pricing