The Department of Biological Sciences has a number of specialized facilities that
our graduate students and faculty use for research. These facilities include:
Molecular Applied Biotechnology Lab
The Molecular Applied Biotechnology Lab gives our graduate students hands-on experience
with up-to-date techniques and technology to meet the needs of the biotechnology and
pharmaceutical industries. Graduate students can perform techniques such as: ELISA,
protein and DNA electrophoresis, Western Blot, PCR, lymphocytotoxic and lymphocyte
proliferation assays, culturing bacteria and viruses, identifying pathogens using
PCR and molecular techniques, fermentation, antibiotic sensitivity testing and other
techniques.
Cell Culture Room
The Biology Department features a cell culture room that includes six steri-culture
hoods, a state-of-the-art incubator, and an inverted, phase-contrast microscope. This
facility is used for both research and teaching. Students in the Cell Culture Techniques
course use this facility to learn the basics of cell culture, including cell passaging,
plant callus formation, cytotoxicity assays with human cancer cells, and transfection
procedures using the GFP protein gene in animal and plant cells.
Freshwater Aquatics Laboratory
The freshwater aquatics laboratory includes bench space and a laminar flow hood. In
addition, equipment is available for both field and laboratory study of freshwater
organisms and environments. Equipment includes portable and bench-top colorimeters
and meters for measuring Oxygen, pH, Conductivity, Light and Flow. There are also
nets, traps, and samplers for collecting plankton, invertebrates, fishes and amphibians.
Schisler Museum of Wildlife & Natural History
The Schisler Museum features an exceptional collection of animals from around the
world, with specimens arranged in beautiful dioramas of different biome types, including
boreal forest, temperate forest, southwestern canyons, and African woodlands. There
are also impressive collections of North American ducks and deer. The museum is used
by ESU classes, including Ornithology and Mammalogy, and is also open to local school
groups and the general public.
Natural History Collections
The department has extensive natural history collections that are used for both teaching
and research in organismal biology, systematics, and conservation. Our collections
are particularly strong for insects and vertebrates, and the insect collection includes
several thousand pinned and identified specimens in the family Membracidae (treehoppers).
The collections also serve as a repository and reference for research on Pocono biodiversity,
and are a valuable teaching tool for our classes in organismal biology.
Camaquiri Conservation Initiative
The Camaquiri Conservation Initiative is focused on rainforest education, research,
and conservation in the neotropics. It includes a biological field station in northeastern
Costa Rica that serves as a base for teaching and research by ESU students and faculty,
and students and faculty from around the world. The station, which has been operating
for the past 5 years, consists of 200 ha (500 acres), much of which remains as primary
lowland/swamp forest. There is a well-marked and maintained trail system and facilities
that include a cafeteria, student cabins, classrooms, and a laboratory with field
equipment and a small library.
Aquaculture Laboratory
ESU’s new state-of-the-art Aquaculture Laboratory, located on the ground floor of
the Science & Technology Center, is used for teaching and research in marine and freshwater
biology. It has tanks for coral propagation, tropical and temperate marine organisms,
and freshwater organisms, and includes a Berlin Reef system, a Jaubert (Monaco) system,
marine ornamentals, freshwater aquatics, and feeding and rearing systems. This new
facility is used by several ESU classes, including Aquaculture and Marine Biology,
and also for student research by ESU undergraduates and graduate students.
Chincoteague Bay Field Station
Chincoteague Bay Field Station provides outstanding multi-disciplinary, educational
and research opportunities that celebrate the rich natural, cultural, economic, and
technological resources of the mid-Atlantic Coastal region through field-based and
hands-on learning.