2010 Summer Interns - Technology

Technology

Throughout our internship, we were very intrigued by all of the high-end technology that can be found throughout the institute. We got the opportunity to speak with some of the scientists that use these incredible technologies and learn about how these machines work. This experience was one of our favorite parts about our internship. Not only is this equipment very cool but it is essential for continuing the study of systems biology.

The concept of systems biology is centered on how biological components of an organism work together in a network or system. However, this is a very difficult field to study because many components must be taken into account when analyzing a network. To make the necessary measurements, extremely precise and powerful technologies must be developed. Machines like the mass spectrometer have helped immensely in the study of protein expression but there is still a long way to go. New advances in technology are central to the advancement of systems biology research as these new discoveries enable us to look further and further into how cells functions and how their separate parts interact together.

Flow Cytometer

Mass Spectrometer

Micro Array

Disclaimer:
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Institute for Systems Biology, 1441 North 34th Street, Seattle, WA 98103-8904