Facilities
The Biomedical and Biological Anthropology Research Facilities provide research, teaching, and training support to faculty and students in the Program, as well as students, colleagues and Post-Doctoral Fellows outside the Department who collaborate with Program Faculty. There are a total of nine facilities (described below), which add a unique research and training dimension to the Program. The facilities are located in both Science 1 and Science 3 buildings and consist of five wet and four dry laboratories.
The wet laboratories are recently renovated state-of-the-art facilities for microbial, cellular and molecular studies at biosafety levels 1, 2 and 3, and for forensic DNA identification and ancient DNA studies. The dry laboratories are for paleontological, osteological, physiological, morphological (growth), and epidemiological studies.
A large amount of research is conducted through these facilities and their collections. The research represented is international in scope and much is connected with ongoing field research programs in Latin America (Venezuela and Brazil), Europe (Republic of Georgia), East Asia (Cambodia, China, Siberia), the Pacific Islands (Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Mariana Islands, Caroline Islands, Samoa), Africa (Kenya, South Africa), the Caribbean (Saba Island) and the USA. In addition, a biomedical anthropology core facility is being developed adjacent to the wet labs and shared clinical research space for outpatient clinical studies in the innovative Biotechnology Center is currently under renovation.
Biomedical Anthropology and Neurosciences Laboratory
(Science 3 Building)
This facility consist of Biosafety Level 2/3 wet laboratories with a focus on cellular and molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration in late onset disorders such as Guam ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and infectious diseases of unknown etiology. Facilities include a suite of three labs for tissue culture and PCR, Light microscopy, and molecular biology.
Serum Archive Facility
(Science 3 Building)
The serum archive facility is composed of three rooms, a Freezer facility, a Wet lab, and a computer processing room. It is dedicated to processing and managing biological and biomedical specimens from field research projects. It uses state of the art archival technique for storage, preservation and retrieval of the specimens. Biomedical Anthropology students have played a large role in the development and operation of this facility and it is used as a "training ground" for a large number of our students.
BioArchaeology Laboratory
(Science 1 Building)
This research facility allows students to work with skeletons on loan from museums. Current research encompasses the broad fields of paleodemography, paleopathology, including infectious diseases, trauma and anemia, and taphonomy. The lab is fully equipped with osteometrics tools, microscopes and computers.
Clinical Research Center Laboratory
(ITC Building)
The Biomedical Anthropology program will share this facility, currently under renovation, with Bioengineering and Nursing. It will include research, teaching and practicums in the areas of anthropometry, growth and development, osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and lifestyle stress, neurodegenerative diseases, women's health, rural health, and migrant health.
Forensic Anthropology Laboratory
(Science 1 Building)
The facilities consist of a full-sized teaching laboratory, a large research laboratory and a secure evidence room. Teaching materials include 20 complete human skeletons, casts, comparative faunal material, and pathological specimens. The research laboratory is fully equipped for forensic casework and research in taphonomy, trauma, biomechanics and osteology. The lab includes microscopes, computers, osteometrics equipment, casts, fume hoods, and an x-ray machine.
Forensic DNA Identification Laboratory
(Science 3 Building)
This facility is dedicated to forensic DNA identification to complement existing forensic casework in the Department. It is, by necessity, a separate functional laboratory removed from the possibility of cross-contamination from other ongoing DNA research.
Human Adaptability and Human Variation Laboratory
(Science 1 Building)
This facility is a primary teaching laboratory for international health, epidemiology, and physiological and morphological variation in human populations. Training equipment is currently available for various blood physiological studies, blood glucose levels, respiratory function, temperature regulation, morphological growth, and skin reflectometry.
Evolutionary Anthropology and Health Laboratory
(Science 3 Building)
This facility consists of wet labs for both ancient and modern DNA research with the latest direct sequencing and PCR equipment. The facility also includes ongoing research in pharmacogenetics and malaria based on individual and population variation to pharmacological agents.
Molecular Anthropology and Ancient DNA Laboratory
(Science 3 Building)
The facilities consist of wet lab and analytical computer lab space. Facilities include ancient DNA extraction and PCR labs as well as separate contemporary DNA extraction, PCR, and genotyping labs. Equipment is available for direct sequencing of DNA, SNP discovery and for SNP-, RFLP-, and STR-typing as well as for the analysis of these data.
Paleoanthropology and Skeletal Biology Laboratory
(Science 1 Building)
This facility houses extensive skeletal material, including skulls and mounted skeletons of monkeys, apes and other nonhuman primates. Human skeletal research and teaching resources include mounted skeletons, a number of unmounted skeletons, and a variety of skeletal specimens. Paleoanthropological resources include casts of most of the major hominid fossils that can be used for both teaching and research.