Laboratory of Microbiological Research – Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Cell Culture

LaPeMi-BioMolcel is located in building 15 in a laboratory in the structure of the Physics course of UFPel donated to the CCQFA, located in the Capão do Leão Campus, and is coordinated by Professor Rodrigo de Almeida Vaucher. His research group develops studies evaluating products of natural and nanostructured origin determining their in vitro toxicity with the use of cell culture, gene expression of inflammatory cytokines in different cell types and tissues, besides studies of the antitumor activity, antiviral activity, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-biofilm and antiparasitic of such compounds.

In research with animal models, it has performed determinations of biochemical and hematological parameters using automated methods in mice, rats and fish. It also receives chemical substances, synthesized by other professors of PPGBBio to determine the bacterial and antifungal activity of such compounds for future therapeutic application.

Infrastructure and equipment: The laboratory has three distinct sections: a) Laboratory of Microbiology: in this section biochemical and microbiological techniques in different micro-organisms are performed. Studies have also been developed to inhibit the formation of biofilms in the model of Candida spp and Pseudomonas aeroginosa. This section is equipped with laminar flow, busen nozzles, spectrophotometer, optical microscopes, microplate reader, automated biochemical and hematological apparatus, reverse osmosis center, sterilization stoves, bacteriological stove and horizontal autoclave. b) Laboratory of Molecular Biology: in this section the molecular techniques with the detection of microorganisms and evaluation of gene expression in prokaryotes and eukaryotes are performed.

This section is equipped with thermocycler, vats for vertical and horizontal electrophoresis, real-time PCR equipment, laminar flow, UV spectrophotometer for quantification of DNA/RNA, microtubes centrifuge, centrifuge for minitubes, thermoblock and DNA Workstation. c) Cell Culture Laboratory: in this section the culture techniques are performed using cells susceptible to viruses (HSV-2) to determine the antiviral activity of bioactive compounds and macrophages lines to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity. This section is equipped with laminar flow, CO₂ stove, optical and inverted microscope.