The Global Health Biotechnology Center (GHBC) has been developed to facilitate Seattle BioMed's research efforts by providing excellent and cost-effective services through centralized biotechnology cores.

The GHBC provides state-of-the-art research technology to our investigators by merging scientific equipment and technical expertise common to multiple research programs. Our goal is to produce scientific data more rapidly, more reliably and more cost-effectively by developing Seattle BioMed’s existing and future resources and providing expert service and training to all users.

Many of our research programs use genome-wide approaches to answer biological questions. Methodologies currently being employed at Seattle BioMed include automated high-throughput capillary sequencing, proteomics and functional genomics. The immense amount of data acquired by these technologies is central to the discovery of accurate diagnostics, safe and effective vaccines and promising drugs for infectious diseases.

Some of these services are available to outside academic and other not-for-profit customers. Please consult the individual core page to see what services are available.

Current Core Technologies in the GHBC

• Bioinformatics: Provides researchers with access to high-end computing infrastructure, software and expert personnel needed to collect, store, manipulate, analyze, visualize, search and publish biological data. The core staff provides expert bioinformatics training, consulting and programming services to support lab-specific projects and Institute-wide initiatives.
• Center for Mosquito Production and Malaria Infection Research (CeMPMIR): The CeMPMIR grows and infects live mosquitoes to accelerate our malaria vaccine research. A consistent, reliable source of this material is essential for successful liver stage malaria vaccine research and development. This facility specializes in the production of sporozoites from Anopheles mosquitoes for ongoing research with Plasmodium strains yoelii, beghei and falciparum.
• DNA Sequencing: Revealing the sequence of an organism's DNA facilitates gene discovery, elucidates infectious mechanisms, and allows us to make comparisons between hosts and pathogens. The Sequencing Core provides expertise and equipment for automated DNA sequencing and genotyping.
• Flow Cytometry: Analyzing and sorting individual cells within populations is vital to a better understanding of the roles of specific cell types in combating infection. High-throughput cell sorting allows the isolation and characterization of infectious agents expressing specific characteristics such as gene modifications. These tools are critical for advancing vaccine candidates and for understanding both host and parasite. The Flow Core provides flow cytometry and cell sorting services, as well as expert consultation.
• Imaging: The location of specific molecules within cells and tissues is often the key to understanding their function, as is molecule size and distribution. The Imaging Core provides high resolution digital microscopy equipment to view and analyze fluorescent labeled cells and tissues, as well as instrumentation for analysis of chemiluminescent, fluorescent and radiography-labeled samples. The facility is staffed to provide expert consultation for imaging projects.
• Protein Production: Larger quantities of proteins (high microgram to milligram levels) are needed to investigate potential vaccine candidates and drug targets. This facility supports researchers with centralized services in protein expression in bacterial, wheat germ (cell-free), and mammalian expression systems; and protein purification in affinity and size exclusion chromatography. All aspects of the operation follow good laboratory procedures to ensure highest quality. The core also provides related consultation services for research and development with protein production and protein-protein interaction characterization, immune-based assays, diagnostics, drug targets and vaccines.
• Proteomics: The protein profile of infectious agents or disease states provides valuable information for researchers targeting disease. The Proteomics Core facility utilizes liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for analysis of biological samples and protein complexes to provide protein identification and determination of relative abundance of proteins. The facility is staffed to provide mass spectrometer and sample preparation services, as well as expert consultation.