Big share: of autoclaves and access

June 13, 2024

Sharing a trouble might halve it. In contrast, sharing a centrifuge can maximize its impact.

The distributed network of UVic Health Core facilities aims to enhance health research at UVic by providing researchers from different disciplines with access to advanced instrumentation, expert training and technical support to engage with each other and carry out world-class research.

Any of the Health Core’s four lab spaces will be bookable by internal users and external companies or individuals. Bob Wright 214 and Petch 072—previously known as the BioCore established by the Centre for Advanced Materials and Related Technology (CAMTEC)—are now available to users from across campus. The specimen collection facility in Hut R and Petch 025 will be officially opened later this spring.

The establishment of the Petch Building 025 facility adds a brand-new 1,400 sq. ft. flagship suite of labs and a public-facing specimen collection space, while also opening the doors to the whole campus community. This initiative significantly increases the amount of biosafety level 2 space on campus, and includes multiple biological safety cabinets, bench space, cold storage, and advanced instrumentation that enables all manner of health research in the areas of biochemistry, microbiology, cell biology and related areas of biomedical research.

“We have a whole range of users, from undergraduates to senior professors working in our facility,” explains lab manager Charmaine Wetherell, “although most are UVic graduate students.

“Many of our internal researchers are in non-biological fields like chemistry, engineering, and even from areas related to the social determinants of health, and they want to test something they’re working on using biological organisms, human specimens, or biomaterials that require safe containment,” Wetherell says. “We also have several start-up and biotech companies who work on a wide variety of things broadly classified as biochemistry.  We provide training on the advanced instrumentation that we host, and we provide space for specialty equipment to both our internal and external users.”

Having a shared facility means more efficient use of equipment, increased training and teamwork. Much of the equipment is expensive to purchase, especially for a single project, takes up a lot of space, needs to be in a room that has biological safety approval, and requires technical expertise to run and maintain.  The Health Core provides access to space and equipment, as well as training on techniques and guidance on obtaining the proper safety approvals. 

The facility broadens the ability of researchers to undertake interdisciplinary projects and collect data on equipment they would not have access to in their own labs. Researchers from academia and industry can interact, share ideas, and form collaborations.  Students can meet people who may add to their knowledge or even help them advance their careers.

After all, rubbing shoulders is a proven way to spark conversations—and that’s always a good way to fire up ideas, partnerships and innovations.

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Rachel Goldsworthy