Integrated Molecular Entomology Core (IMEC) Facility
The IMEC is a 2,000 square foot facility established in 2022 that includes office, meeting, and laboratory space for the express purpose of studying molecular and cellular aspects of insect behavior, physiology, and toxicology. The office space houses the director of the facility as well as up to 8 graduate students or scientists. The laboratory space is designed to facilitate research requiring both biosafety and arthropod containment precautions. Access to this space is restricted to individuals performing research that requires this space.
The BSL-2 laboratory is nearly 800 square feet and includes the necessary equipment to perform molecular and cellular assays and experiments for the Department of Entomology at Kansas State University as well as our collaborative partners. Our facilities are sufficient for cell culture, analysis of protein, PCR and quantitative PCR, image capture, dissection, and plate-based fluorescence or absorbance assays.
The arthropod containment laboratory consists of four rooms that are accessed through a secure door and includes both level 1 and 2 spaces. The ACL facility provides space for arthropod rearing, blood feeding, storage of samples, dissection, and microinjection. Equipment in these spaces includes rearing incubators (Percival 136 VL, Powers Scientific model DROS33X03, Percival 130 NL), dissecting microscopes (Olympus SZ61, Zeiss Stemi 2000), under-counter 4 C refrigerator, under-counter -20 C freezer, Thermoelectric cold plate TCP-2, Drummond Scientific Nanoinject II nanoinjector with micromanipulator, Labconco biosafety cabinet class I with Guardian airflow monitor, glove box, VWR recirculating water bath, Hemotek membrane feeding system and two carbon dioxide-based Flypad setups (with compressed air tanks) for immobilizing arthropods.