The Biopolymers Facility is a non-profit technology service center in the Department of
Genetics at Harvard Medical School. The investigators at Harvard Medical School make up
the primary client base of the BPF. Through the University's partnerships with surrounding
hospitals and research organizations we also serve labs throughout the entire Longwood
Medical Area (LMA). While the majority of our users are from the LMA we also serve labs at
schools, universities and biotechnology companies from all across the world.
Our mission is to provide investigators with access to technology services that will help
them speed along their research programs while conserving both time and money by not having
to conduct the experiments within their own labs. In addition, we provide a wide variety
of the most popular reagents and supplies for immediate pick up from our facility, in an
effort to decrease the amount of time it takes to go from an idea to an experiment while
simultaneously saving research funds through bulk pricing agreements and no shipping charges.
We strive to provide high quality data and a rapid turn around time for all samples.
Services offered include Agilent Bioanalyzer DNA and RNA Quality
Assessment, Automation Services, Sanger DNA Sequencing, Luminex XMap Assays, Next-gen
Sequencing, Oligonucleotide Ordering, qPCR Assays, Reagents and Supplies Ordering and Sample
Preparation (DNA and RNA). We have a comprehensive web based Laboratory Information Management
System (LIMS) which provides our users with access to order services and supplies as well as retrieve
data and review and pay invoices all online.
About the BPF
History
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
The Biopolymers Facility (BPF) was originally established as an HHMI funded core facility.
The facility's primary mission was to provide DNA sequencing, oligonucleotide synthesis and
mass spectrometry services to the Department of Genetics and surrounding Howard Hughes Medical
Institute (HHMI) labs. The facility was directed by John Rush and administered jointly by the
HMS Department of Genetics and HHMI in Chevy Chase, MD. The lab was located on the third floor
of the Warren Alpert Building in the Medical School Quad.
In the summer of 2000 Robert Steen joined the facility as the new Director. The labs primary mission as a technology services provider continued but also began to undergo a long transformation that is still in process today. Among the major initial changes were the outsourcing of oligos to vendors and the elimination of on premise synthesis. In addition, Affymetrix Gene Chip and custom printed microarray services were added. DNA sequencing also underwent major changes by eliminating manual sample handling and reaction preparation with the addition of automated robotic liquid handlers. The final major change was a complete overhaul of our facility's computer infrastructure and LIMS.
In the summer of 2002 HHMI began to make major policy changes which ultimately resulted in the laboratory formally being closed on August 31, 2003 and brought to an end the BPF as an HHMI laboratory.
In the summer of 2000 Robert Steen joined the facility as the new Director. The labs primary mission as a technology services provider continued but also began to undergo a long transformation that is still in process today. Among the major initial changes were the outsourcing of oligos to vendors and the elimination of on premise synthesis. In addition, Affymetrix Gene Chip and custom printed microarray services were added. DNA sequencing also underwent major changes by eliminating manual sample handling and reaction preparation with the addition of automated robotic liquid handlers. The final major change was a complete overhaul of our facility's computer infrastructure and LIMS.
In the summer of 2002 HHMI began to make major policy changes which ultimately resulted in the laboratory formally being closed on August 31, 2003 and brought to an end the BPF as an HHMI laboratory.
Harvard Medical School
In September of 2003 the BPF and all of its employees became employees of Harvard Medical School
with an affiliation through the Department of Genetics. Changes continue to happen within the
facility, the most notable of which was the move to the New Research Building on Avenue Louis
Pasteur where we now occupy approximately 2,000 square feet of lab space on the basement level.
We have added a comprehensive stock room for reagent pick up and new technologies and services
are continually added to the facility (Luminex, Next-Gen Sequencing, Automation Services, and more)
as well as access to various analysis software and changes to our LIMS. We will continue to make
significant changes and improvements to our operations as we move forward in an effort to serve our
researchers to the best of our abilities. Please see our main home page for a list of our latest
service offerings.