BiMM Structure
Bioactive Microbial Metabolites BiMM – Core facility
The core facility is open for co-operations with universities, research institutes, universities of applied sciences, and industry.
The BiMM infrastructure is suitable for example to …
- investigate the interaction of microbes with other organisms (bacteria, fungi, algae, plant, animal cells) and to identify the production of bioactive substances (antibiotics, pharmaceuticals, bioeffectors, agroceuticals, etc.).
- study metabolomes of microbes under a multitude of environmental and nutritional conditions to identify bio-and agro-technological potential.
- study cells of different origin (microbes, plants, insects) in their mutual stimulatory or inhibitory effects in a high-throughput way.
- study host-pathogen interactions or identify organic control species.
- screen for biotech enzymes
- perform large scale microbiology (BSL2 certified) screening experiments e.g. MIC determination
Get in contact with us: office@bimm-research.at
Automated pipetting
Combinatorics (8 – channel) : Hamilton Starlet 8 – channel, 23 deck spaces available, in addition equipped with Colony Picker and camera. Versatile applications for a variety of liquid handling processes in 96 and 384 format. MIC determination, ELISA, reformatting, automatic approach preparation for PCR etc.
Microbial screening processes
The BiMM utilises a continuous method using several high tech pieces of equipment to combine microorganisms and to analyze their bioactive molecular metabolites. Each section of the method is adaptable and accessible to external users. The method comprises assembly of assays in MTPs with inoculation and medium, amplification of plates and continuous growth assays. Microbial cultures growing in liquid or on solid are added to media with variable ingredients (e.g. antifungals, antibiotics, stress factors, small molecules). Complex pipetting schemes can be performed with the 8 – channel device. Plates and inocula can be replicated efficiently using the 96 pipetting head.
High throughput Screening
Incubation can be combined with spectroscopy using an automatic incubator and robotic arm in sync with a multiwell Spectrometer. Microbial growth is measured in parallel with 42 plates. Possible readouts include absorbance, fluorescence, and luminescence. Therefore, detection of many parameters can be performed; from enzyme activities to gene expression in vivo.
Library pinning (96 – 1536 pins per plate)
A unique piece of equipment combines 96 – 0.5mm wide, needles with the 96 head of Hamilton Starlet. Microorganisms (clones, mutants, isolates) can be transferred from liquid medium to solid media ( = pinning) by contact transmission. Another transfer to solid medium can be compressed to 1536 clones per plate. Applications include the following: chemogenomics, systematic genetic analysis, high-throughput screening of libraries against sensitivity to substances, and more.
Logistics and tracking on all processes
All devices are equipped with bar code readers. A complete automatic assignment of the manipulated Labware and all pipetting operations are recorded. Finally, a complete data tracking can also be maintained throughout the device group with all combined processes.
Mycotoxins in feed matrix
Our research on fungal secondary metabolites produces significant amounts of feed matrix (rice, corn) containing well defined mycotoxin levels (e.g DON, Enniatins, Fumonisins) which can be supplied upon request.
If you are interested and would like more information – just get in contact with us: office@bimm-research.at
