Fab Labs and Shared Facilities
UNC-Chapel Hill Fabrication Lab The Biomedical Engineering Fabrication Lab (Fab Lab) at UNC-Chapel Hill is a state-of-the-art makerspace for innovation and creativity, providing a collaborative space for students, researchers and faculty to bring their ideas to life. The UNC Fab Lab offers high-precision 3D printers, CNC machines, laser cutters and surface-mount rework stations. The lab is equipped with the latest industry-standard equipment to provide the resources and training necessary to turn concepts into tangible prototypes. To become a user of the Fab Lab makerspace, a mandatory safety and training orientation is offered through the Fab Lab 101 program. This introductory training is a required training session designed to familiarize all patrons with general safety protocols, equipment usage and the process of reserving shop buddies and 3D printers. The Fab Lab also offers specialized training for specific tools and technologies to further enhance your expertise. To learn more about the Fabrication Lab and schedule a training, please visit the Fab Lab website. NC State Fabrication Lab The Fabrication Lab at NC State (Room 4416 in EB3) is a shared resource open to all BME personnel. It contains basic hand and power tools, sheet metal processing tools, SLA and FDM 3D printers, a laser cutter/engraver, power saws and milling machinery. Like the UNC-Chapel Hill Fabrication Lab, introductory and safety training is required for all users. Additional equipment-specific training is required for some equipment. Contact Lab Manager Shaphan Jernigan at srjernig@ncsu.edu for access and training. BME Culture Core The BME Culture Core (BMECC) Service Center is available to all UNC system investigators and collaborators. The BMECC provides an economical option for researchers who have a temporary or limited need for culture, wet lab and tissue handling facilities. The BMECC includes separate microbiology and animal cell culture laboratories, a general-purpose wet lab with a chemical fume hood, space for the dissection of larger tissues and histology equipment for both paraffin-embedded and frozen samples. Researchers registered to use the BMECC have access to all rooms and listed equipment. Common consumable supplies are provided. The BMECC is located on the 4th floor of Engineering Building III on NC State’s Centennial Campus and includes the following laboratories: Both the Cell Culture and Microbiology Laboratories provide BSL-2 containment, suitable for handling human cells/tissues and Risk Group 2 microorganisms. Preview Equipment, Policies, Billing and Registration Form. Note: The PDF registration form provided is for preview purposes only. To register online, contact BMECC Director Douglas Tremblay at dptrembl@ncsu.edu. Equipment Room 4413 The Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering maintains shared research equipment in Room 4413 (no fees), approximately 475 sq. ft., in Engineering Building 3 on NC State’s Centennial Campus. BME faculty, students and research staff may use this equipment for research and teaching purposes. Individuals desiring access should contact BMECC Director Douglas Tremblay at dptrembl@ncsu.edu and a Safety Orientation (offered monthly) are required. Shared Equipment Walk-in Cold Room 4° C Environmental Chamber, Room 4210 Environmental Specialties Inc., Model ESI 9-10 range 4-37° C Important note: Individual research labs may also have equipment located in Room 4413, which is not part of the BME shared equipment. This equipment is clearly marked. Researchers should work with the appropriate lab faculty regarding the use of any equipment not listed above. Note: this form is for individuals who require access to 4413 but who will not be using the BME Culture Core service center labs (4321, 4201 A&B). This form is provided for preview purposes only. To register online, contact BMECC Director Douglas Tremblay at dptrembl@ncsu.edu.
GAIT Lab The GAIT Laboratory is located in Room 1404 on the first floor of Engineering Building III on NC States’s Centennial Campus. Equipped with an optical motion capture system, an instrumented split-belt treadmill, a ZeroG robotic body-weight support system, and various terrains and human protection gears, the lab is designed to conduct studies related to sports science and rehabilitation. Supervised by Dr. He (Helen) Huang, the GAIT Laboratory is a shared facility and free to access for students and faculty of the Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering. To work in the laboratory, training and approved IRB protocols are both required. Please contact the lab manager, Dr. Ming Liu, at mliu10@ncsu.edu for detailed information. Biomedical Instrumentation Laboratory Service Center The Biomedical Instrumentation Laboratory (BMIL) is located in EB2, Rm 2024. BMIL is a Fee-for-Service facility that focuses on biomedical device prototyping. The lab was founded in 1999 by Professor Troy Nagle. The purpose of the BMIL is to support medical instrumentation research, development and commercialization while providing students opportunities to assist research laboratories on campus and commercial entities across the Triangle Region. The Laboratory also seeks to foster ties with medical equipment companies across the State. This laboratory designs and fabricates prototype medical instrumentation units. BMIL evolved from projects in the Biomedical Microsensors Laboratory. The laboratory operates as a service center under a trust fund account, and supports the work of advanced undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral students. For additional information, please visit the BMIL website: https://research.ece.ncsu.edu/bmil/ Cell Mechanics Laboratory Service Center The Cell Mechanics Laboratory (CML) Service Center is located in the Biomedical Partnership Center on the Biomedical Centennial Campus (Vet School Campus). The CML has equipment and space for general cell culture as well as mechanical testing. Equipment for cell culture includes a 6-foot biosafety cabinet, incubators and an upright microscope. Equipment for mechanical testing includes an Instron 5944 testing system, a camera for strain tracking and custom fixtures. For information about use, please contact Dr. Matthew Fisher at mbfisher@ncsu.edu. Flow Cytometry Service Center The Flow Cytometry Service Center is located on the 4th floor of EB3 and houses a BD Celesta (3-laser, 12-color) flow cytometer for single-cell immunophenotyping and cell biology applications. For access, please contact Dr. David Zaharoff at dazaharo@ncsu.edu.