Phenix Group Research Labs

The Phenix Group have daily access to cutting-edge chemistry and cell-culture equipment. These tools are used on a daily basis for our research activities, and all members of the group have the opportunity to become independent users:

Cell Culture Lab and Cell Imaging System

  • Cell culture and probe screening lab
    • Cell incubators
    • Two biosafety cabinets
    • BioTek Cytation 5 Cell Imaging Multi-Mode Reader, plate reader and live cell imaging equipment (with LED cubes for viewing common infrared dyes, e.g. IRdye800)
    • Centrifuges
    • Microscope

In addition, we share facilities and equipment with Dr. Eric Price, another radiochemist in the Deparment of Chemistry: 

Price Lab Equipment

  • Thermoscientific Vanquish uHPLC (with autosampler, fraction collector, UV diode array and charged aerosol (CAD) detectors, column oven/switcher, and manual injection port for semi-prep purification)
  • Biotage Isolera One automated flash chromatography system
  • Advion Expression-L mass spectrometer with “plate express” TLC-plate reader (interfaced with the HPLC and automated flash chromatography system for LC-MS and flash-MS functionality)

Sylvia Fedoruk Centre for Nuclear Innovation

The Sylvia Fedoruk Centre for Nuclear Innovation is located on the U of S campus, with the mandate of placing Saskatchewan among global leaders in nuclear research. With a new Advanced Cyclotron Systems (ACSI, Vancouver) 24 MeV cyclotron and world-class GMP facililties, the Fedoruk Centre is routinely producing 18F-FDG for patients at the Royal University Hospital (U of S campus). The Saskatchewan Centre for Cyclotron Sciences (SCCS) encompasses the research wing of the Fedoruk Centre, and contains radiochemistry and preclinical imaging facilities available for evaluating new compounds:

  • Small animal MI Labs Vector 4 PET/SPECT/CT nuclear imaging equipment
  • Human PET/CT at the RUH Hospital
  • Hot cells
  • Radio-HPLC
  • Common radiochemistry equipment such as automated gamma counter, synthesis modules, centrifuges
  • Radio-TLC reader (Bioscan AR2000)
  • Small-animal care/housing facilities

Department of Chemistry

As part of the Department of Chemistry, the Price Group also benefits from the use of a wide variety of characterization tools and equipment, as well as the expertise of the Facility staff. Students will gain experience using the following equipment:

  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • X-ray Crystallography
  • High resolution and MALDI-TOF MS/MS Mass Spectrometry

Other Institutions and Centres at USask

On campus at the University of Saskatchewan, there are a number of cutting-edge facilities that the Price Group is either collaborating with, or in the process of starting collaborations with:

  • The Canadian Light Source (CLS) - Canada's only synchrotron research facility - high resolution X-ray crystallography, high resolution CT imaging, XAS/EXAFS
  • USask Linear Accelerator Laboratory (LINAC) - Isotope production (e.g. 99Mo)
  • The Fedoruk Centre, and the Saskatchewan Centre for Cyclotron Sciences (SCCS) - Cyclotron isotope production, radiochemistry research, small animal molecular imaging, and GMP production
  • Royal University Hospital (RUH, USask College of Medicine) - Human PET/CT and future clinical trials site
  • The Western College of Veterinary Medicine - Large animal models and Veterinary medicine
  • VIDO/InterVac BSL level 3 infectious disease research facility - Multidrug resistant bacteria and other infectious disease research
  • Centre for Biologic Imaging Research and Development (C-BIRD) for antibody development with the Saskatchewan Therapeutic Antibody Resource (STAR)