The University of Manitoba campuses are located on original lands of Anishinaabeg, Cree, Ojibwe-Cree, Dakota, and Dene peoples, and on the National Homeland of the Red River Métis. More
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada, R3T 2N2
We offer a comprehensive range of services, including tissue culture and lentiviral vector production, plasmid isolation, and titer determination. Our platform is perfect for researchers looking to save time and enhance their research productivity, with in-stock viral preparations and the ability to produce custom-made viral preparations using your own lentiviral vector plasmid. Whether you're a University of Manitoba investigator or a provincial/international collaborator, our Lentiviral Vector Viral Particles Production Core Platform offers comprehensive services to meet your needs.
We have available stocks of various items for lentiviral vector production and evaluation. These include 293T cells, packaging and envelope plasmids, as well as control lentiviral vector plasmids. The control lentiviral vectors include options such as an irrelevant shRNA silencing specificity control, a scrambled shRNA silencing specificity control, and a GAPDH-silencing positive control. Additionally, we offer an EGFP-expressing lentiviral vector to assess transduction efficiency in your specific cell type. These reporter and control viral preparations are provided to users at cost-recovery prices.
Our goal is to provide you with high-quality lentiviral viral preparations tailored to your specific needs.
If you have your own lentiviral vector plasmid, we can help you produce lentiviral viral preparations. These preparations come in two formats: unconcentrated and concentrated.
We can also assist in packaging lentiviral vectors from other sources, although the titer will need to be determined. Keep in mind that the design of the lentiviral vector can impact packaging efficiency.
To evaluate transduction efficiency and optimize your specific cell type, we recommend using the concentrated Cppt2E virus, which is an EGFP-expressing lentiviral vector. This virus is readily available as an in-stock item.
To determine the ideal virus format for your transduction experiments, we suggest performing a titration experiment using the concentrated Cppt2E virus. This will help you determine whether you need to use the concentrated or unconcentrated virus format for your specific cell type.
Please keep in mind that the transduction of cells must be carried out in a BSL2 (Biosafety Level 2) facility for safety purposes. Additionally, you will need to update your biological inventory to include the use and storage of lentiviral vectors in your laboratory biosafety permit.
Facilities for producing lentiviral vectors and shRNA libraries in Manitoba.
The Lentiviral Vector Viral Particles Production Core Platform comprises a BSL-2 tissue culture facility and an ultracentrifugation setup, both of which are located on the fourth floor of the Apotex Building. The facility is used for the production of lentiviral vectors, which require specialized knowledge and biosafety protocols to ensure the safety of researchers and the environment.
Additionally, the Core Platform includes four shRNA libraries, which are housed at the System Biology laboratory located within the Health Sciences Centre's Manitoba Centre for Proteomics and Systems Biology.
We are pleased to support investigators with training and support related to our platform.
Hands-on training is offered for users interested in performing transduction and creating lentiviral vector preparations in their own labs. Hands-on training is provided at the cost of $150/hour.
Free user workshops are offered once or twice a year for students and staff. These workshops cover a range of topics related to our Lentiviral Vector Viral Particles Production Core Platform, including basic tissue culture skills and procedures for handling lentiviral vectors.
We also offer a seminar on the lentiviral vector production procedure, applications, and the unique resources available through the Biomedical Functionality Resource housed at System Biology, University of Manitoba. This seminar is a great opportunity to gain an overview of the process and learn about the cutting-edge resources available to support your research.
Working with Lentiviral Vectors requires special safety precautions to avoid contamination and maintain a clean laboratory environment.
Please adhere to these safety guidelines to ensure the appropriate handling and usage of lentiviral vectors.
We recommend following these standard safety practices:
Wear double gloves, face protection, and a lab coat at all times to prevent any contact with the virus.
Perform all work in a limited access area, such as a Biological Safety Cabinet Class II, and post a biohazardous warning sign to warn others of the presence of infectious material.
Minimize splashes or aerosols by using careful pipetting techniques, avoiding the use of needles, blades, or other sharp instruments, and never shaking or vortexing viral preparations.
Decontaminate all work surfaces at least once a day and after any spill of viable material. Use approved decontamination methods, such as treatment with bleach, to kill any infectious material.
Decontaminate all cultures, stocks, and other biological wastes before disposal using approved decontamination methods, such as treatment with bleach and autoclaving. Before autoclaving, the biological materials should be placed in a sealed, durable, leak-proof container for transport from the laboratory.
By following these safety practices, researchers can reduce the risk of contamination and ensure that they are working with Lentiviral Vectors safely and effectively.
Shop for GPIZ Lentiviral shRNA: Horizon Discovery Ltd.
GPP Web Portal: Search by gene
Dr. Sam Kung
Director
204-480-1301
sam.kung@umanitoba.ca
Manli Zhang
Technician
204-480-1329
man.zhang@umanitoba.ca
Lentiviral Core Facility
Apotex Centre
750 McDermot Avenue West
University of Manitoba (Bannatyne campus)
Winnipeg, MB R3E 0T5 Canada
