The core facilities of the Medical Campus of the VUB can be used by researchers from outside the research cluster upon request.
The Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy (LMCT) possesses two P2 laboratories and one P2+ laboratory. These are designated for experiments with lentiviral particles and oncolytic viruses, respectively. The aforementioned laboratories are part of the LMCT’s clean room facility, which is a closed facility accessible for qualified personnel only and under strict reglementation. In this facility the pressure, temperature and air flow are constantly regulated according to the current guidelines. In addition, each laboratory has a self-closing door. The laboratories are equipped with a biosafety cabinet and with all of the equipment that is found in a standard cell culture laboratory, including a warm water bath, microscope, incubator at 37°C and 5% CO2, fridge, centrifuge, etcetera. In addition, the facility has a room equipped with a Beckman ultracentrifuge and its attributes (SW27 and SW28 rotor, and appropriate buckets). This centrifuge is used for the processing of viral particles yet is also available for other purposes, e.g., purification of exosomes. Besides these laboratories, the facility also encompasses a room in which contaminated materials are processed (autoclaved) before they are cleared for disposal and a central storage room in which all of the required materials are stored according to the needs in a storage rack, two fridges, two freezers at -20°C and one freezer at -80°C.
Basic expertise and hands-on help is provided by staff members of the research group. The conditions for the use of this equipment can be requested by e-mail to Prof. K. Breckpot (karine.breckpot@vub.be).