GWU | Smithsonian | UMD
| Howard | Carnegie |
Other
CASHP and HPDP researchers and students benefit
from having access to a wide range of resources at affiliated institutions
in the Washington, DC area in addition to those available at the George
Washington University. Cooperative arrangements between GWU and the
Smithsonian Institution
have existed for more than a century, and allow students in GWU programs
privileged access to the Smithsonian's collections and research expertise.
Other allied institutions include the
University of Maryland, Howard
University, and the Carnegie
Institution. Collectively, these institutions include numerous laboratories
with a wide range of equipment available to CASHP and HPDP researchers.
GWU is home to numerous labs and facilities.
The Skeletal Biology Laboratory and associated labs have state-of-the-art
facilities for research on skeletal histology, microscopy, three-dimensional
morphometrics, biomechanics, and functional morphology. The Lisner Laboratory
has a large collection of hominid fossil casts, facilities for geochemical
analysis including amino acid racemization, and archaeological analysis.
In addition, the Discourse Lab has camcorders, tape recorders, digitizing
computer stations, speech analysis software, and other related equipment.
Smithsonian Institution facilities and equipment
are available at three sites: the National
Museum of Natural History (NMNH), the Museum Support Center (MSC)
and the National Zoological Park (NZP) research center. Facilities include
the Human Origins Program Laboratory, the Smithson Light Isotope Laboratory,
the Human Ecology Laboratory, and the Vertebrate Paleoecology Laboratory.
In addition, NMNH houses a world-class collection of hominid fossil
casts and human and primate skeletal materials. CT scanning, digitizing
and SEM facilities are also available.
At the University of Maryland the departments
of Biology and Cell and Molecular Biology have sate-of-the-art molecular
biology, genetics, and computer analysis laboratories. Howard University
is home to the Human Genome Diversity Lab and other facilities. The
Carnegie Institution of Washington houses the Geophysical Laboratories
with equipment and expertise in stable isotope, spectrometry, and other
related research.
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RESOURCES
AT THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
Hard Tissue Histology Laboratory
Since bones and teeth form the
basis of the hominid fossil record, understanding the anatomy, development,
and function of these tissues is critical to our understanding of hominid
paleobiology. The Hard Tissue Histology Laboratory and our Microscopy
facility (see below) allow us to investigate fundamental questions about
the microanatomy and development of these tissues in modern and fossil
species. Under our overarching goal of understanding hominid paleobiology,
members of our group are researching the factors (e.g., variation in
degree and kind of exercise and diet) influencing the formation of bones
and teeth.The Hard Tissue Histology Laboratory houses a fume hood and
equipment for embedding and preparing thin sections of bone and tooth
specimens. These thin sections allow us to examine the microstructure
of bone and dental tissues using light and confocal laser microscopes
(see below).
Histological Preparation
Equipment:
1. Filtered Fume Hood.
This provides a safe space for epoxy embedding, and other activities
involving volatile liquids.
2. Hilquist hard materials cutting machine. This is
mainly used during the initial processing of hard samples.
3. Buehler Isomet 1000 precision saw. This machine
is designed to produce serial sections when exceptionally high precision
is required.
4. Hilquist grinding/polishing machine. It is essential
to thin and polish bone slides to enable clear and non-distorted transmission
of light through sections when analyzed microscopically.
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Microscopy Facility:
Three
microscopes, each with specific capabilities, are available for research.
We primarily use these microscopes to examine the microstructure of
bone and dental tissues (enamel, dentine, and cementum).
Microscopy equipment:
1. Olympus SZX12
(x3.5-144) stereoscope, used for external surface examination of samples
on both macroscopic and microscopic level.
2. Olympus BX40 transmitted light microscope. In addition
to standard light microscopy, this microscope has polarizing filters
that enable the exploration of bone and mineral microstructures. This
microscope also has a fluorescent apparatus used for examining bone
and tooth development.
3. Olympus BX50 confocal laser microscope. In this
microscope, lasers replace the traditional light source. The laser scans
the slides through a multi focal process to produce three dimensional
reconstructions of bone and other microstructures. Several laser sources
allow us to differentially excite fluorescent labels, allowing us to
examine the rates and durations of development in different tissues.
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Skeletal Biology Lab:
The principal purpose of this
laboratory is to provide space and resources for research into how we
can best interpret skeletal anatomy, from the levels of gross morphology
to microstructure, to answer questions about hominid paleobiology. It
houses analytical equipment (see below), as well as six computer stations,
and scanners and video-capturing devices. The computers are available
for a wide variety of analytical (see below) and general (e.g., preparation
of manuscripts and presentations) uses.
Most of the equipment involves morphometrics,
motion analysis, and biomechanical modeling. Morphometrics is the study
of shape, typically of bones and teeth. Motion analysis involves capturing
3D motion with the goal of understanding the relation between form and
function. The biomechanical modeling includes building models of skeletal
structures (e.g., primate or fossil hominid skull) from CT scans with
CAD software, from which Finite Element Models are made to model the
biomechanics of important functions, such as biting and chewing. We
work with collaborators to validate models with data collected on living
primates. These modeling methods hold great promise for understanding
the adaptive significance of skull anatomy in fossil hominids.
Morphometrics equipment:
1. 3D Microscribe measuring
device. This mechanical device records three-dimensional coordinates
of landmarks on structures such as skulls, and other skeletal elements,
for the analysis of complex shape.
2. Digital calipers. We have several traditional calipers
available for students when they need to record lengths on objects,
including skeletal structures, stone tools, etc.
3. Digital image morphometrics equipment. The digital
camera can capture carefully calibrated images of objects. Such image
analysis is especially useful in quantifying complex or nonlinear shapes,
such as bone curvature. Several computers can import digital images,
and one computer is equipped with a Hi-8 video playback deck.
4. Software. We have numerous software packages for
digitizing, managing, and analyzing measurements. Some of the software
reconstructs 3D images from CT images, while others permit various measurements
to be collected from the 3D composite or individuals scans.
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Motion Analysis equipment:
A
Peak Performance System was selected over other comparable systems because
of its flexibility and capabilities, and its use by Stony Brook University
and Duke University. Both of these universities have primate locomotion
laboratories with captive individuals of a wide variety of nonhuman
primates. The compatibility of our system with those at the primate
labs creates great opportunities for our doctoral students.
1. Three digital camcorders,
Bogen tripods, lights. At least two cameras must view the motion in
the calibrated space in order to capture 3D movement. The cameras connect
digitally to the computer, into which motion video sequences are imported
for analysis.
2. Three-dimensional calibration frame. This frame
is necessary to calibrate the space in which the motion of interest
will occur.
3. Remote Synchronization Unit. This unit sends an
audio pulse of a specific frequency that is recorded simultaneously
by the video cameras. The audio signal allows us to precisely synchronize
the video segments from each camera.
4. Peak Motus software. The software is used to calibrate
the cameras, acquire and synchronize video clips, digitize landmarks
(e.g., hip, knee joints), and analyze motion (e.g., velocity, acceleration,
joint angles, etc)
5. Peak Autotracking software. This separate component
semi-automates what can be a very time-intensive digitizing process.
Biomechanical modeling:
1.
Computer Automated Design (CAD). CAD software, by Solidworks,
Inc., allows us to construct quite accurate models from CT scans or
other images.
2. Finite Element Analysis (FEA). The FEA software
(Algor, Inc) imports CAD models and creates a finite element mesh. We
then apply forces and constraints based on biomechanical data, and the
FEA software calculates the stresses and strains throughout the model.
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Lisner Laboratory:
The
Lisner Lab is the main resource for research in paleolithic archeology.
The goal of research in this lab is to investigate the behavioral residues
left behind in the archeological record, and their significance for reconstructing
the paleobiology of hominid species and especially the origin of modern
human behavior.The Lisner Lab includes a geochemistry lab with equipment
for extraction and analysis of organic materials from fossils: HPLC
(High performance liquid chromatography) and GC (Gas chromatography)
instrumentation for amino acid racemization and for characterization
of ancient proteins and amino acids in fossil materials, image analysis,
and a huge cast collection of fossil hominid crania and postcrania.
Facilities are also available to prepare shell and bone samples for
stable isotope analysis.
Animal Care Facilities:
The Animal Care Facilities in the School of Medicine
are important to those faculty and doctoral students interested in conducting
experiments on bone and dental tissue development.
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RESOURCES AT THE SMITHSONIAN
INSTITUTION
Smithsonian
facilities and equipment are available at three sites: the National
Museum of Natural History (NMNH), the Museum Support Center (MSC)
and the National
Zoological Park (NZP) research center. The NMNH houses two scanning
electron microscopes (SEM), a CT-scanner, specialized x-ray equipment,
as well as an excellent cast collection of hominid fossils. In addition,
the museum has unparalleled research collections of human skeletal material,
as well as one of the most extensive collections of non-human primate
skeletal material in the world. Its Department of Paleobiology houses
the program in the Evolution of Terrestrial Ecosystems, which has the
largest database in the world of fossil and environmental information
on Cenozoic sites. Within the Anthropology Department, the NMNH has
allocated laboratory space and research support for the Human Origins
Program. The museum also houses a large casting facility, thin-section
preparation facilities, conservation laboratories and excellent specialized
library resources pertaining to anthropology and paleobiology. Finally,
the NMNH houses the Applied Morphometrics laboratory, which is equipped
with sophisticated 3D digitizing equipment.
At the Museum Support Center (MSC), students
have access to the Anthropology Department's Archaeobiology Program
Laboratories with extensive comparative collections and facilities for
the study of faunal and botanical remains, as well as state-of-the-art
plotting and digitizing equipment. Also at the MSC are a laboratory
for the study of ancient DNA, a stable isotope laboratory, an SEM with
a microprobe, and other laboratories. The third Smithsonian site is
the National Zoo, which houses numerous primate species, and which has
recently constructed an exhibit/research facility on ape intelligence.
The Zoo also houses state-of-the-art 3D image-capturing instrumentation.
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RESOURCES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND
UMD
has made the development of Life Sciences one of its main priorities
in the next five years and is dedicating large resources towards this
goal. The Departments of Biology
and Cell and Molecular Biology have fully-equipped, state-of-the art
laboratories in human
genetic variation, molecular biology and computer analysis. In addition,
the Anthropology department has provided over 1000 square feet of newly
renovated laboratory space for studies of human origins and biocultural
evolution. Facilities are available for high-throughput sequencing and
SNP detection including multiple automated capillary sequencers, a dHPLC
machine, a Perkin Elmer 7700 quantitative PCR machine, numerous PCR
machines, and robotics equipment. Other facilities available to students
include a slide-maker, photographic equipment, transmission and scanning
electron microscopes, computing facilities, analytic spectrophotometers,
an amino-acid analyzer, autoradiography facilities, and a microarray
facility. In addition, the University of Maryland is in the process
of developing a Center for Computational Biology which will offer excellent
resources in the areas of bioinformatics, systematics and phylogenetics,
genomics, proteomics, and other computational biology-related studies.
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RESOURCES AT
THE HOWARD UNIVERSITY
Research
laboratories are located in contiguous space in two buildings with additional
space in the cancer center and university hospital, and the super computer
facility. The Molecular
Genetics and Genomic
Research in the African Diaspora (GRAD) Labs at Howard University
are part of the National
Human Genome Center in 7500 square feet. The Genome Center contains
4 ABI automated 377 sequencers and 12 Perkin Elmer 9700 thermocyclers.
The center will also contain a 1,200 square foot molecular biology laboratory
for functional assays, mutation detection, and positional cloning, and
a separate tissue culture facility for extraction of DNA from blood
samples and EBV cell transformation. Also available are industrial freezers,
refrigerators, centrifuges and a dark room, and an electron microscope.
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RESOURCES AT THE CARNEGIE
INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON
The
Carnegie Institution of Washington Geophysical
Laboratory includes state-of-the-art equipment for Stable Isotope
Analysis including a new Finnigan Delta + XL mass spectrometer with
an elemental analyzer; a Finnigan MAT 252 mass spectrometer for C, H,
N, and O isotopes; Infrared CO2 laser fluorination system; Hewlett Packard
Gas chromatograph mass spectrometers; Solid State NMR with probes; Varian
Gas chromatographs, etc.
OTHER REGIONAL RESOURCES
The National
Institutes of Health (NIH) and National
Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) also offer
nearby resources. The
National Library of Medicine, accessible by Metro, is the world’s
largest medical library, with extensive collections in basic research.
Researchers at NIH and NIDCR share interests in genetics, development,
biomechanics, and bone and dental tissues similar to our own.
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