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FORT SMITH — The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith has been awarded a $44,000 grant which will bring advanced chromatography technology to the campus.
The Competitive Shared Instrumentation Award, funded through the Arkansas IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence, or INBRE, will provide $44,031 toward the purchase of an AKTA go liquid chromatography system for use in teaching and research, according to a news release issued Friday by the university.
Chromatography is a core technique in the life sciences, used to separate and analyze biomolecules. The AKTA go system will allow faculty and students to purify proteins, analyze protein complexes and study how molecules assemble and interact, the release states.
The system supports a range of methods, including affinity, ion exchange, and size exclusion chromatography, and features a research grade, computer controlled setup similar to what students will encounter in graduate programs and industry labs, according to the university.
UAFS will integrate the new instrument into a wide span of courses, including Biology, Biochemistry, Biophysical Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Molecular Biology, and Medicinal Chemistry, the release states.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to participate in opportunities created by Arkansas INBRE,” said Toni Alexander, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “We have seen how strategic investments made in our biomedical research infrastructure have benefited our faculty and students. We know that continued investments will have a ripple effect for biomedical research excellence in the River Valley.”
UAFS will contribute an additional $9,214.15 from the College of Arts and Sciences to cover taxes and associated fees for the instrument. The grant will open new hands-on research and training opportunities for hundreds of students and helping prepare the region’s growing bioscience workforce, the release states.
The shared system will be housed in the Math-Science Building and used collaboratively by faculty in biology and physical science. More than 500 students annually are expected to work with the instrument through biology, chemistry, biochemistry and molecular biology courses, along with faculty-mentored undergraduate research, according to the university’s release.
“University of Arkansas at Fort Smith is deeply committed to providing students with transformational educational experiences that prepare them for careers and advanced studies in the biomedical sciences,” Chancellor Terisa Riley said. “This equipment represents a step forward in fulfilling that mission and advancing our strategic goals for research and undergraduate education.”
Arkansas INBRE, supported by the National Institutes of Health, is one of 24 state-level IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence programs nationwide that work to strengthen biomedical education, research and career pathways, the release states.
As a network institution, UAFS benefits from INBRE’s funding programs, training initiatives and collaborative opportunities for both faculty and students, according to the release.
