Marine Conservation Molecular Facility (MCMF)
The MCMF is a shared-use facility located in room 224 of the Bookhout Research Building. The facility occupies 435 sq ft, with bench space for 8 researchers/students. It supports state-of-the-art equipment including: Microfuges (4), pipettes (16 sets), thermal cyclers (10), real time thermal cyclers (2), a pipetting robot, a 96-capillary array ABI 3730 Sequencer, conventional and electric multichannel pipettes (8), an E-gel precast gel system, water baths (3), electrophoresis gel rigs (8), electrophoresis power supplies (7), a computer-controlled gel documentation system, a refrigerated benchtop centrifuge with fixed angle/swinging bucket/96-well plate rotors, an Eppendorf BioPhotometer Spectrophotometer with Helma UV cell (for DNA and RNA), bacterial incubators (shaking and stationary), Eppendorf Thermomixers (3), a Zeiss fluorescent compound microscope with attached digital camera, a Nikon Dissecting Scope with attached digital camera, a microwave, -20oC freezers (4), and 4oC fridges (3).
Please contact the MCMF Director, Dr. Tom Schultz at (252) 504-7655 or tschultz@duke.edu, for information on equipment, availability of bench space, and fees.
Funded Programs
- Collaborative Research in IPY: Abrupt Environmental Change in the Larsen Ice Shelf System, a Multidisciplinary Approach – Marine Ecosystems Van Dover
North Carolina Biotechnology Center
- Core facility for genetic and genomic approaches to marine conservation Schultz, Carlsson, Van Dover
- Education Enhancement: Marine CSI – Conservation Forensics in the Marine Environment Carlsson
Saltonstall-Kennedy
- Genetic Variability and Population Structure of Striped Bass along the US Eastern Seaboard Carlsson
Courses Offered
From Molecules to Management: Application of Molecular Tools to Marine Conservation (lecture), Carlsson and Schultz ENVIRON 256S.02 (undergraduate and graduate registration), 0.5 course or 2 units (2 semester hours)
Marine CSI - Conservation Forensics in the Marine Environment (lecture & lab course) Carlsson ENVIRON 151L NS, SS, STS, R (undergraduate and graduate registration); 1.0 course (4 semester hours)
Genetics and Molecular Biology (lecture) Schultz BIOLOGY 118 NS, STS (undergraduate registration) 1.0 course (3 semester hours)
Independent Study
Fall 2007
Colleen Kannen
Wittenberg University ‘08
Biology major
Project title:
Genetic analysis of the hydrothermal vent polychaete Amphisamytha galapagensis
Sara Norman
Wittenberg University ‘08
Biology major
Project title:
Genetic analysis of the hydrothermal vent polychaeta Amathys lutzi
Spring 2008
Pen Yuan-Hsing
Trinity ‘10
Environmental Science/Biology major
Project title:
Microsatellite markers on B. heckerae, attempts at PCR on B. heckerae
Kristin Paterakis
Trinity ‘09
Earth and Ocean Sciences/Biology major
Project title:
Population Dynamics of Blue Crabs
Ciara Wirth
Trinity ‘10
Biology major
Project title:
Microsatellite markers on B. heckerae, attempts at PCR on B. heckerae
Summer 2008
Rebecca Jones
Trinity ‘09
Biology major
Rachel Carson Scholar
Project title:
Characterization of host-symbiont relationships in the genus Alviniconcha (hairy gastropod)
Maggie Kissel
Trinity ‘09
Biology major
Rachel Carson Scholar
Project title:
Sequence B-Hemoglobin Genes from Offshore and Coastal Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)
Holly Kokinda
Trinity ‘09
Biology major
Rachel Carson Scholar
Project title:
Sequencing and Analysis of the Alpha-Hemoglobin Gene Family in Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)
Please contact the MCMF Director, Dr. Tom Schultz at (252) 504-7655 or tschultz@duke.edu, for information on equipment, availability of bench space, and fees.