The Dows Institute for Dental Research
Location: Dental Research, N418 DSB
Telephone: (319) 335-7385
Contact: James S. Wefel, Director
Welcome to the Dows Institute for Dental Research
When the current College of Dentistry was completed in 1972, the north fourth floor of the college was
allocated as a joint-use research facility. In 1976, with a 10-year pledge of support from the Sutherland
and Judith Dows family, in memory of Frances M. Dows, the Dows Institute for Dental Research was established.
Today the Dows Institute is a highly recognized dental research facility with laboratories on both the fourth
and first floors. Dental researchers collaborate with other researchers from Iowa, the U.S., and internationally, from
Hungary, the Czech Republic, Malaysia, Japan, South Africa, Turkey, Romania, England and Egypt. Collegiate dental
research includes cariology, microbiology, and fluoride studies; biomatereials, bone and tissue engineering;
oral soft tissue and cancer research; epidemiology and health policy; and craniofacial and cleft palate research.
The Dows Institute strives to provide collegiate dental researchers with state-of-the-art laboratory facilities to
meet the continually evolving oral health care needs of dental patients throughout Iowa, the U.S., and the world.
General facility
The Dental Science Building, site of the Dows Institute, is located in the Health Center Complex on the University of Iowa campus and is within walking distance of the Colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy and Public Health, The University Hospitals and Clinics, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Bowen Science Building, Eckstein Building, Human Biology Research Center, the Medical Research Laboratories, the Hardin Library for the Health Sciences, and the Wendell Johnson Speech and Hearing Center.
The Dows Institute for Dental Research, located on the fourth and first floors of the Dental Science Building's north wing, occupies an area of over 16,000 square feet and supports a wide range of research investigations. Joint-use core facilities, staffed by trained personnel, provide research support for faculty and students from all parts of the College of Dentistry. Equipment supporting additional techniques are located in the laboratories of individual investigators. Major capabilities of the Dows Institute are described below.
Histology/ultrastructure core laboratories
These laboratory areas contain equipment and facilities for light microscopy and electron microscopy. Sample preparation areas include a cryostat, fume hoods, a large ventilated enclosed bench area, automated tissue processor, wax embedder sectioning instruments, including two ultramicrotomes, a Pyramicrotome and a JB4 microtome, a critical point dryer, and a vacuum sputter coater. Photomicroscopes for light microscopy include fluorescence, dark field, light field, polarizing and phase contrast. A scanning electron microscope with an x-ray analysis detector and a transmission electron microscope are supervised and maintained by a certified electron microscopist.
Image analysis core equipment
Automated image analysis is performed using the Image Pro Plus imaging software, which is
capable of analyzing captured video images of nearly every image format. Suitable image sources include light microscope, scanning
electron microscope, flatbed scanner, digital camera or 35mm transparencies. This software also provides statistical analysis and
direct downloading of data to spreadsheet programs or other statistical software. Polarized light images of mineralized tissue can
be digitized and analyzed directly using an Olympus BX-50 polarized light microscope and Spot RT high resolution camera coupled to a
dedicated PC with high resolution monitor. Digitized images and any measurements derived from these images can be archived to DVD
or transferred to any networked PC for further analysis or statistical evaluation. Also available are two FBTIV-816 transilluminators
and two FB-PDC-34 PhotoDocumentation camera systems.
Tissue culture core lab
Facilities permitting preparation and maintenance of primary isolates, organ cultures, and long-term cultures are available. Monoclonal antibodies can be produced. Equipment includes incubators and laminar flow safety hoods for tissue preparation and cell, tissue, or organ culture.
General
There are two sterilization and glasswashing rooms, two water purification systems and a storeroom for glassware, supplies and chemicals. A large walk-in cold room is used to store materials, reagents and also has bench space. Sample storage facilities include liquid nitrogen storage containers, several -90 degree freezers and other freezers.
Oral soft tissue
Perfusion chambers for isotopic measurements of molecular flow across tissues: Sorvall tissue chopper and Sherwood vibratome for sectioning unembedded soft tissues. Equipment for lipid analysis by thin layer chromatography, high pressure chromatography gas chromatography. N-evap for drying samples, rotary evaporator, fume hood for prep work and an acid resistant hood for sulfuric acid spraying. Two gyratory shakers, electrophoresis equipment (vertical and horizontal units) a ultraviolet transilluminate camera with hood, and a camera for photodocumentation of nucleic acids are also available. There is a GTI/Spectrovision FD-500 fluorimeter and a Labconco Centrivap concentrator.
Dental biomaterials
Equipment for biomaterials research include a Zwick Advanced Materials Testing System, which is computer-driven for automated testing of tensile compression and flexing, as well as fatigue and resilience. Other equipment includes an induction casting machine, potentiostat, gold film mercury detector and a thermocycler. Two Buehler grinder polishers are available as well as an Economent. Two Isomet saws and a high speed saw are used to prepare and examine biomaterials. A Harrick plasma cleaner is used to prepare surfaces for comparisons of interactions with biological materials.
Cariology and microbiology
A Silverstone-Taylor hard tissue microtome and Olympus and Nikon polarized light
microscopes are available for mineralized tissue preparation and evaluation. Research requiring automated titration, pH stat
or chemostat conditions may be performed using the Metrohm pH stat system and associated microprocessor. Ion-specific
electrodes are also available to measure fluoride concentration in water, foods or other materials. Elemental analysis is
available using a Fisher atomic absorption spectrophotometer. There is a New Brunswick Bioflo Fermenter available as well as
two Coy Anaerobic Chambers, a Microbiology International Anaerobic Chamber, a spiral plater, and a
real-time PCR.
Molecular biology and biochemistry
Equipment available for biochemical and molecular analysis includes UV and visible light spectrophotometers, a Coulter counter,
gas chromatographs, an ultracentrifuge, and gamma and scintillation counters. Gell electrophoresesis equipment is available for molecular biology, including probe preparation and identification equipment.
Information resources
The collegiate librarian provides online computer literature searches and database search instructions for faculty, staff, and students,
in groups or individually. Health-related databases and other electronic
resources are provided electronically by the Hardin Library for the Health Sciences. Information on funding opportunities from federal and other sources, and assistance with using University of Iowa Libraries, are also provided
by the collegiate librarian.
Statistical consulting and grant preparation
A joint-appointed statistician works with faculty who are gathering pilot data and planning projects for submission of externally funded grant applications. Assistance with proposal writing and budget preparation is also available in the Dows Institute.
©2008 The
University of Iowa College of Dentistry