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 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: 

• 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)

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

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

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)