Equipment Inventory/Lab Services

The Faculty of Science has an array of high value laboratory equipment that companies can access under a fee for sample structure. Some of our equipment is unavailable elsewhere in the province or in the country. Industry can have specialized assays done on their samples or in some cases, send their own personnel here to train on the equipment. Each core lab/service unit has its own unique user model, pricing, and contacts -"how to" information is accessible via their websites.

Please use the search engine below to find the equipment or core lab service facility that fits your current needs. If you do not find the equipment you are looking for, please contact us so that we can search our internal database of equipment in individual research laboratories.


 

Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute

The Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (amii) is one of the top machine learning research groups in the world. It was created in September 2002 to enhance and augment the research excellence in Machine Learning (a branch of Artificial Intelligence that enables computers to learn and adapt from experience, it includes data mining, data analytics, and "big data" as subfields) and related areas that exist in the Computing Science Department of the University of Alberta.

The following is a partial listing of Collaborations with Industry (either completed or currently in progress):

  • Petroleum refinery throughput
  • Rail car scheduling optimization
  • Healthcare: Staffing optimization for quality care, staff satisfaction and cost containment; epidemiological/outbreak forecasting which enables staff and supply management adaptation
  • Capital Markets: Asset allocation and Portfolio rebalancing
  • Data analysis for environmental impact on wild game due to Oil & Gas drilling and development
  • Analytics to facilitate and enable change management in organizations

For more information please visit Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute

Available Equipment and Assays:

Data Mining, Data Analytics, Big Data
Analytical and Instrumentation Laboratory

The Analytical and Instrumentation Laboratory provides diverse and specialized analytical support to the University of Alberta community, other North American educational institutions, industry, and engineering firms. From straightforward one-off testing to complex failure analysis, the A & I Lab provides analytical testing support tailored to customer needs and budget. Depending on the customer requirements, the analytical data obtained during the analytical investigation may be provided directly or a report prepared that summarizes the raw data, its interpretation and conclusions.

For more information please visit the Analytical and Instrumentation Laboratory website.

Available Equipment and Assays:

For a complete list of available Equipment, visit the the Analytical and Instrumentation Laboratory website.
Arctic Resources Laboratory

A world-class geochemistry facility containing 6 state of the art mass spectrometers, 2 laser systems and a 2200ft clean lab, enabling trace element analysis and radiogenic isotope dating of many geological materials.

Contact us for:

  • Laser ablation trace element analysis of silicates, carbonates & sulphides
  • Laser ablation dating of zircons and rutile (U-Pb/Lu-Hf)
  • High precision dating using Re-Os, U-Pb, Rb-Sr, Lu-Hf systems
  • PGE analysis of mafic & ultramafic samples

For more information please visit Arctic Resources Laboratory

Available Equipment and Assays:

Mass Spectrometers, Laser Systems, Clean Room, Radiogenic Isotope Dating, Trace Element Analysis
C.M. Scarfe Laboratory of Experimental Petrology

This national facility allows simulation of the conditions inside the earth up to depths of approximately 800 km and temperatures of 2500°C. Research includes investigation of the conditions at which melting occurs within the earth, determination of the stability of different minerals and mineral assemblages, and examination of the conditions of growth of natural diamond.

For more information please visit C.M. Scarfe Laboratory of Experimental Petrology

Available Equipment and Assays:

Ussa-2000 Uniaxial Split-sphere Press, 2-piston Cylinder Apparatus, 1 Atm Furnaces
Canadian Centre for Isotopic Microanalysis

The Canadian Centre for Isotopic Microanalysis provides services in the analysis of stable and radiogenic isotopes in rocks and minerals to aid research in mineral and energy resources, geosciences, archaeology, and biology. Our comprehensive array of cutting-edge geochemical instrumentation and labs, along with a dedicated and world-renowned team of faculty and staff, are fully capable of tackling the most difficult problems across a diverse range of topics such as the age and origin of economic mineral deposits in the Yukon, explosive volcanic eruptions at Yellowstone, dating dinosaur teeth, and the ecological patterns of cod stocks off Newfoundland.

CCIM operates four nodes specializing in the following technical areas:

  • Crustal Re-Os Geochronology
  • Ion Microprobe (SIMS)
  • Mantle Tracer Isotopes and PGES
  • U-Pb Geochronology Facility

For more information please visit Canadian Centre for Isotopic Microanalysis

Available Equipment and Assays:

Clean Room, Isotope Analysis, Ion Microsope, Uv Laser Systems, Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometer (tims), Multi-ion Counting Tims
Centre for Particle Physics

The Centre for Particle Physics is promotes interaction and collaboration among researchers in particle physics. The University of Alberta provides a favorable environment to advance particle physics studies, to help train leaders for the future well-being of the field, to assist in the dissemination of knowledge, and to promote interaction between the University and the broader community.

The CPP currently has three main facilities of interest to industry:

  • Germanium counter (mBq sensitivity) for detection of background radiation
  • Low radon machining facility and clean room
    Large 5 axis mill machining facility

For more information please visit Centre for Particle Physics

Available Equipment and Assays:

Germanium Counter, Low Radon Machining Facility, Clean Room, Large 5 Axis Machining Facility
Crustal Re-Os Geochronology Laboratory

This laboratory specializes in Re-Os geochronology of molybdenite, other sulfide minerals, organic-rich shales and natural hydrocarbons.

Contact us for:

  • Re-Os dating of crustal rocks and minerals, as well as Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd and Pb-Pb isotope analysis of rocks and minerals.

For more information please visit Crustal Re-Os Geochronology Laboratory

Available Equipment and Assays:

Re-Os Dating, Isotope Analysis
Electron Microprobe Laboratory

The electron microprobe investigates minerals at the micrometer-scale, allowing rapid identification, quantitative chemical analysis, and phase mapping with electron or X-ray images.

Contact us to:

  • Identify your minerals
  • Measure the compositions of your minerals
  • Map the distribution of your minerals

For more information please visit Electron Microprobe Laboratory

Available Equipment and Assays:

Mineral Identification, Electron Probe Microanalyzer
FAB LAB

The Fabrication Lab designs and builds custom research equipment for specialized projects. Our services include fabrication, prototyping, repair, procurement of specialty materials and designing cost-effective research solutions.

For more information please visit FAB Lab

Available Equipment and Assays:

Prototypes, Equipment Repair, Custom Designs, 3-d Modeling, Laser Cutting Machine, Metal Work
ICPMS Laboratory

The ICPMS facilities are capable of routine solution based measurements of Sr, Nd, Hf, and Pb isotopes. Addition laser ablation add-ons also allow for in situ trace element measurements and U-Pb age determinations for select matrixes.

Contact us for:

  • In situ trace element determinations
  • In situ U-Pb age determinations of zircon and monazite
  • Solution based trace element and isotopic determinations

For more information please visit ICPMS Laboratory

Available Equipment and Assays:

Isotope Analysis, Trace Element Analysis
Mass Spectrometry Facility

The Mass Spectrometry Laboratory is one of the largest and best equipped of its kind in Canada and offers very rapid turnaround of all routine samples with a wide variety of ionization techniques available: electron impact (EI), chemical ionization (CI), atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI), atmospheric pressure photo-ionization (APPI), electrospray (ES), and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI).

Several modern mass spectrometers are available in the Facility including a Waters Q-TOF Premiere mass spectrometer with a NanoAcquity UPLC system, a Bruker Apex-Qe 9.4T FTMS, an Agilent 6220 oaTOF and Bruker Ultraflextreme MALDI TOF/TOF.

For more information please visit the Mass Spectrometry Facility website.

Available Equipment and Assays:

GCMS, GCMS/MS, LCMS, LCMS/MS, electrospray, atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation, atmospheric pressure photo-ionisation, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation (MALDI), Agilent Technologies 1100MSD, Agilent Technologies 6130 LCMS, Agilent Technologies 6220 oaTOF, AB Sciex QTRAP 2000, Bruker 9.4T Apex-Qe FTICR, Waters (Micromass) Q-TOF Premier, AB Sciex Voyager Elite MALDI, Bruker Ultraflextreme MALDI TOF/TOF, Agilent Technologies 5975C MSD, Bruker SCION TQ, Kratos Analytical MS-50G
Molecular Biology Service Unit (MBSU)

The Molecular Biology Service Unit (MBSU) provides research support for a range of molecular biology techniques. We are home to the Illumina NextSeq Platform, and offer Sanger DNA Sequencing, Oligonucleotide procurement, BioBars and access to over twenty different pieces of research equipment.

For more information please visit Molecular Biology Service Unit (MBSU)

Available Equipment and Assays:

Illumina NextSeq Platform, Sanger DNA Sequencing
nanoFAB: Fabrication & Characterization Facility

The nanoFAB is a centralized, open access research and development facility specializing in micro and nano scale fabrication and characterization. Through the support of the Faculty of Science, the nanoFAB manages over 180 individual tools, a 5,000 sq ft class 10 cleanroom, and specialized anti-vibration lab space as the largest academic facility in Canada dedicated to characterization and fabrication at the nano scale. As an open access facility, the nanoFAB is committed to supporting academic and industrial innovation from design through characterization, supporting the transitioning of ideas from academic research groups and industry into real-world innovations and prototypes. The facility provides undergraduate/graduate student training, fee for services and technical research support on $85M in specialized equipment and infrastructure including a comprehensive suite of over 180 tools for nano-science and engineering.

For more information please visit nanoFAB: Fabrication & Characterization Facility

Available Equipment and Assays:

For a complete list of available Equipment, visit the nanoFAB website.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility

The Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR) Facility is a fully equipped modern spectroscopic laboratory, including detection of a wide variety of nuclei, high resolution and ultra sensitivity instrumentation, broad sample temperature capabilities and liquid, semi-solid, and solids measurement. Examples of capabilities include: high volume robotic sample handling, liquids variable temperature acquisition from -80 to +100 °C, small molecule identification /quantitation, multinuclear-multidimensional biomolecular acquisition for structure determination, 'nanoprobe' solids capabilities, and the latest in cryogenically cooled high sensitivity hydrogen and carbon probes.

Experienced NMR facility staff are available for academic, government, and commercial client sample submission, NMR optimization and acquisition, and analysis.

For more information please visit Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility.

Available Equipment and Assays:

spectroscopy, spectrometers, NMR spectroscopy,
Scanning Electron Microscope

This lab houses two scanning electron microscopes (SEM). The SEM provides high-resolution digital images of surface textures and microstructures, at magnifications ranging from 20x to 250,000x with a resolution of approximately ~3 nm.

Contact us to:

  • Image the texture and microstructure of your material
  • Analyze the elemental composition of your material
  • Map the elemental composition of your material

For more information please visit Scanning Electron Microscope

Available Equipment and Assays:

SEM, Scanning Electron Microscope
Theoretical Physics Institute

The Theoretical Physics Institute (TPI) is now 55 years old and provides a focus for theoretical physics at the University of Alberta and nearby institutions. The TPI fosters collaboration among its members and interaction across disciplines. The active members and their research groups come from the departments of physics, chemistry, mathematical science and statistics, and medicine (oncology). Research interests are diverse and include condensed matter physics, biophysics, astrophysics including gravity and cosmology, quantum nanoscience and computation, mathematical physics, fluid dynamics, plasma physics, subatomic physics, chemical physics, and theoretical geophysics.

TPI researchers are highly skilled at solving complex physical and mathematical problems, analytically or computationally, in a diverse range of topics including many that are of interest and relevance to industry. A partial list includes:

  • Models and simulations (molecular dynamics using atomic-level information of proteins ) for drug design
  • Complex fluids and flows in porous media, turbulence
  • Advanced materials, superconductors
  • Advanced photonics, optical switching, quantum information processing and cryptography
  • Laser-molecule interactions, photo-physics of molecules for biological imaging, fluorescent probes
  • Laser-matter and laser-plasma interactions for beam production and radiation sources
  • Wave propagation in inhomogeneous media, inverse problems in geophysics

For more information please visit Theoretical Physics Institute

Thin Section Laboratory

The lab is capable of preparing both standard or polish samples of most materials in configurations such as 1"x2" or 2"x3" slides, 1" block mounts, fluid inclusions and custom. Sample preps include rock, soil, pottery, bone, meteorite, paper, coal, metal, etc.

For more information please see the Thin Section Laboratory section of the Analytical Services website.

Water Testing Laboratory (BASL)

The BASL Laboratory provides cost-effective chemical analytical services in environmental, ecological and medical disciplines for University researchers, government agencies and the private sector.

For more information please visit Water Testing Laboratory (BASL)

Available Equipment and Assays:

Direct Mercury Analyzer, ISO/IEC 17025 Accreditation
X-ray Crystallography Laboratory

The X-ray Crystallography Laboratory provides single crystal diffraction services. Our instrumentation includes two diffractometers equipped with CCD-based area detectors for fast and sensitive data collection. Both machines feature liquid-nitrogen based cooling systems that allow handling of unstable samples. One diffractometer is switchable between two different X-ray wavelengths (Mo and Cu) depending on the needs of the chemical compound being studied.

For more information please visit X-ray Crystallography Laboratory

Available Equipment and Assays:

diffractometer, Bruker D8 Duo diffractometer, Bruker Platform diffractometer
X-Ray Diffraction Laboratory

This laboratory houses two Rigaku powder X-ray diffractometers that are used for the identification of the identity of powdered crystalline materials, and powdered mixtures of crystalline materials.

Contact us to:

  • Identify your minerals
  • Identify your crystalline inorganic mixtures
  • Examine your powders at non-ambient T

For more information please visit the X-Ray Diffraction Laboratory section of the Analytical Services website.

Available Equipment and Assays:

Rigaku Powder X-ray Diffractometers