Centrifuge for La Selva

Help us purchase a new centrifuge for La Selva's Research lab. 

Field laboratories with the history and usage of the La Selva Research Station, need and thrive on good equipment to meet the needs of the hundreds of researchers and students that come to our facilities. Centrifuges are one of those general-use pieces of equipment that are essential for many types of research. Currently in our laboratories at La Selva, we have one Dynac II centrifuge that was acquired in November 1983 and an old IEC HN-SII centrifuge. This equipment has lived out its useful life serving the research community with valor and efficiency. But it is time to replace them. That’s what Bernal Matarrita, our Laboratory Manager at La Selva says.

Though these centrifuges are still working, Bernal says, they cannot get to speeds higher than 4000 RPMs, which makes them practically useless for modern needs, such as using protocols for DNA and RNA extractions with commercial kits. For example, at La Selva researchers and students also conduct chemical extractions in soils for nutrients, enzymes or proteins analysis.  According to Bernal, the need for newer, more powerful centrifuges is essential for serving our research community.

Dr. Emma Aronson agrees. In the  pictures, Dr. Aronson displays the state of our ancient centrifuges. Dr. Emma Aronson is from the University of California at Riverside. These centrifuges were already working in the La Selva laboratories before Bernal and Dr. Aronson were in school!

Bernal and the La Selva researchers need your help. Let’s update La Selva's centrifuges today. For a large enough gift Bernal will even allow you to name one. Given how long the current centrifuges have lasted, this could be a gift that keeps on giving for many years to come.   

Make your donation, today. Support the Campaign to Restore the Ancient Centrifuges of La Selva.

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