The Transgenic Mouse Core Facility (TMCF) is located on the ground floor of the Medical Research Building (MRB). The major portion of the first floor of the MRB is dedicated to one of UTMB’s central animal facilities, which is managed by the Animal Resource Center (ARC). TMCF is committed to providing customized, flexible, and comprehensive services to UTMB investigators utilizing genetically engineered mouse models. The services we most commonly provide are the generation of transgenic mice, gene targeting, cryopreservation of mouse embryos and sperm, rederivation, breeding, and genotyping. We also offer consultation and assist in grant/animal protocol writing.
Scientist: Maki Wakamiya, E: mawakami@utmb.edu, P: (409) 747-2365
The animal facility in the MRB includes a modified barrier facility (1005 sq ft) with four mouse rooms that house the TMCF’s mouse colonies. The TMCF adjoins the barrier facility and is comprised of two offices and four laboratories: tissue culture room (238 sq. ft.), an injection/surgery room (324 sq ft), a molecular biology room (404 sq ft), and a storage room (184 sq ft).
The tissue culture room is equipped with two Class II Biological Safety Cabinets, a laminar flow workstation, two CO2 incubators, two microscopes, two centrifuges, a water bath, and an electroporation apparatus.
The injection/surgery room is equipped with a Leica injection microscope with an Eppendorf micromanipulator/ injector system, a Nikon injection microscope with an Eppendorf/Narishige micromanipulator/injector system, a PIEZO micromanipulator for intracytoplasmic sperm injection, a Flaming/Brown micropipette puller, a microforge, three stereo-microscopes, a dry sterilizer, a -30°C freezer, a fridge-freezer, and a baking oven.
The molecular biology room is equipped with electrophoresis apparatus, a gel imaging system with PC, a micro-hybridization oven, a UV cross-linker, two centrifuges, a pH meter, a water purification system, a -86°C freezer, a fridge-freezer, and a microwave.
The storage room is equipped with two vapor-phase liquid nitrogen freezers to store embryos and sperm, a vacuum oven, a control-rate freezer for embryo cryopreservation, three centrifuges, Eppendorf Master Cycler, two incubators, and two water baths.
Additionally, one of the ARC procedure rooms located outside the barrier facility is available to the TMCF exclusively, where conventionally housed animals are dissected for tissue collection, cryopreservation, and rederivation. This room is equipped with two Class II Biological Safety Cabinets and two stereo-microscopes.