Near Infrared Hyperspectral Fluorescence Microscope (325 Fascitelli Center for Advanced Engineering): This state-of-the-art hyperspectral imaging system, manufactured by Photon Etc. (Montreal, Canada), uses a 2W 730 nm laser to spatially and spectrally image near-infrared emitting materials, namely single-walled carbon nanotubes, within live cells and organisms using an inverted Olympus IX-73 fluorescence microscope. A patented volume Bragg grating resolves fluorescence emission from each pixel of an imaging field between 900-1600 nm, and captures the image with a -80C thermo-electrically cooled 640×512 pixel InGaAs array near-infrared detector. Additionally, standard visible epifluorescence microscopy is enabled with an X-Cite mercury excitation source, filter cubes capable of imaging DAPI, FITC, Cy3, Cy5, ICG organic fluorophores, and co-planar CCD camera.

Near Infrared Fluorescence Probe Spectrometer (325 Fascitelli Center for Advanced Engineering): This custom built spectroscopy instrument consists of a continuous wave 1.3 W 730-nm laser (CNI lasers) injected into a bifurcated fiber optic reflection probe bundle. The bundle consists of a 200-mm, 0.22 numerical aperture (NA) fiber optic cable for sample excitation located in the center of six 200-mm, 0.22 NA fibers for collection. Longpass filters are used to block emission below 1100 nm. The light is focused into a 193-mm focal length Czerny Turner spectrograph (Kymera 193i, Andor) with the slit width set at 410 mm. Light is dispersed by a 1501/mm grating with blaze wavelength of 1250 nm and collected with an iDus InGaAs camera (Andor).

Jasco V-780 UV/Vis/NIR Spectrophotometer (325 Fascitelli Center for Advanced Engineering): This spectrophotometer features a single monochromator with automatically exchanged gratings: 1200 lines/mm for the UV-visible region and 600 lines/mm for the NIR region. A PMT detector is used for the UV-visible region and a high sensitivity InGaAs detector in the NIR region. Both gratings and detectors are automatically exchanged within a user selectable range of 800 to 900nm.

Sonics Vibra-Cell VCX130 Probe-Tip Sonicator (325 Fascitelli Center for Advanced Engineering): 130 Watt ultrasonic probe-tip sonicator with timer and pulser to process a wide range of organic and inorganic materials, from 150 microliters to 150 milliliters. Several ¼” tapered replacement tips are available for nanomaterial processing.

Labconco Purifier Logic+ Class II, Type A2 Biosafety Cabinet (325 Fascitelli Center for Advanced Engineering): This brand new 4 foot standard bio-safety cabinet features a 10″ sash opening, UV light, service fixture, vacu-pass portal, and base stand.

Eppendorf New Brunswick Galaxy 170 S Incubator (325 Fascitelli Center for Advanced Engineering): This brand new 170 L cell culture incubator features a 4-port sealed inner glass door, IR CO2 sensor, high temperature sterilization, RS-232 communication port, 25 mm access ports.

Locator 4 Liquid Nitrogen Storage System (325 Fascitelli Center for Advanced Engineering): This large liquid nitrogen cryo-vessel is capable of storing thousands of cryogenically preserved cell samples and constantly monitors liquid nitrogen levels to maintain the viability of these samples.

Rhode Island Idea Network for Biomedical Research Excellence (URI, NIH funded, RI-INBRE) Research Core Facility. The Roxbury lab has unlimited access to this centralized core facility. Trained staff members manage the laboratory and are available to assist with instrument operation. Of particular use are the following: confocal fluorescence microscope, IR Imager; fluorescence activated cell sorter, ICP-MS, circular dichroism spectropolarimeter, fluorescence plate reader, FT-IR spectrometer, analytical and semi-preparative HPLC, and ultra-centrifuge.

Rhode Island Consortium for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (URI) Several major equipment located within this facility will be available for characterization usage. In particular, the JEM-2100 LaB6 Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) and the Zeiss SIGMA VP Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM), both having cryogenic capabilities.