Biotechnology Center

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 The Biotechnology Center at Western Kentucky University was established to facilitate hands-on educational opportunities for Biology students and to provide technical and educational services for faculty research. It is home to a variety of molecular biology instruments. Because molecular biology has become more applicable to fields of study outside of biology, the Biotechnology Center is a research hub for WKU professors in other departments, as well as Biology faculty, to conduct their research with equipment they might otherwise not be able to access.

 

Core Expertise(s): 

Some of the research techniques that can be done in the Biotechnology Center include:

DNA Sequencing

Real-time PCR (quantification of gene expression)

Quantitative gel imaging (including chemiluminescence) 

Epifluorescence microscopy (both dissection and compound microscopes)

Biosafety Level 2 research (i.e., pathogenic organisms)

Protein chemistry

Tissue culture

 

Student Outcomes:

The Biotechnology Center at Western Kentucky University was established to facilitate hands-on educational opportunities for Biology students via student-centered active learning and engagement with faculty.

 

Students have access to a wide variety of molecular biology instruments. Students use the equipment for both classes as well as mentored research with faculty from the Department of Biology and also the departments of Chemistry, Physics and Astronomy, Agriculture and Food Science, and Exercise Science.

 

These experiences greatly enhance student competitiveness in regards to both employment opportunities as well as graduate and professional schools through acquisition of both technical and cognitive skills that enable them to be competitive in a global community.

Outstanding student success- a typical year:

• 25 publications
• 55 presentations
• Grants: QTAG – 4
• FUSE – 10
• RCAP – 2
• + involvement and support from external grants including those from the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation.

 

 

 

 For more information visit the Biotechnology Center home page here.