Laboratory facilities

The molecular laboratory is equipped with state of the art instrumentation to carry out genetic analyses on nucleic acids. Ongoing work concentrates on the study of genetic diversity in plants and diatoms, analyzing relationships among populations to higher taxonomic levels. Our research is applicable to concerns for phylogenetic analysis, DNA based organism identification (DNA Barcoding) and conservation biology and relevant for taxonomic and biodiversity issues. The molecular laboratory at the BGBM provides facilities for the isolation of nucleic acids and their characterisation by sequencing or fragment analysis. The laboratory is well equipped with computing equipment and network links for analyses.

The micro-morphological laboratory is equipped with SEM and LM instruments to carry out micro-morphological analyses. The ongoing work concentrates on the study of the surface of microstructures of pollen, seeds, etc. as well as on diatom frustules. Another emphasis lies on cytological methods such as the number of chromosomes of plants. These methods are important for our taxonomic research to understand the relationship between species. The laboratory is equipped with digital cameras, computers and network links for analyses.

The algae laboratory features diatom preparation for LM and SEM analyses from environmental samples and unialgal cultures. To establish unialgal cultures, diatoms are singled out from mixed samples, cultivated under controlled conditions until they can be harvested for molecular and micro-morphological studies in order to determine their taxonomy and phylogeny.

The lichen laboratory features thin-layer-chromatography to identify the differentiating lichen substances for taxonomic analyses, more information here.