ISU scientists at the hybridoma and DNA facilities use both research expertise and business savvy to provide biological merchandise to fellow researchers.

The hybridoma facility, located in the Molecular Biology Building, has been fusing mice spleen cells and cancer cells specific to mice for commercial sale to research facilities.

“It starts with a mouse that we immunize against an antigen that a client has given us,” said Amanda Brockman, research associate for the biotechnology department. “From that point we sacrifice the mouse, remove its spleen, and the cells from the spleen are fused with a mouse cancer cell line and that’s what actually makes the hybridoma line.”

Those spleen cell are also called B cells; they are used as antibodies in the immune system.

“We know how to make B cells immortal,” said Paul Kapke, associate scientist in the biotechnology department and researcher at the hybridoma facility.

When the immortal B cells are added to the cancer cells, it makes them also unable to die. After cancer cells are made immortal, scientists are able to use them for research repeatedly.

“Specific cells, typically cancer cells, are cells that grow and grow and never die out,” Kapke said.

Typically, clients come in seeking an antibody against a certain disease or bacteria. The client then gives the lab a form of this bacteria and it is injected in a mouse. The researchers observe how the mouse reacts to the bacteria and then euthanize the mouse and remove its spleen.

The cells are kept in a petri dish where the cells are allowed to grow. As the cells in the petri dish grow, they gradually turn yellow, indicating that they are large enough to be taken to a new lab to be tested. Kapke said the cells are kept in an atmosphere of 5 percent carbon dioxide.

Clients often make use of this facility if they are looking for a way to detect cancer or trying to find responses in plants.

“We’re the kind of people they [hospitals] come to if they need a diagnostic test,” Kapke said.

Brockman added to the idea that these cells have many uses.

“The hybrid cells really have a lot of applications,” said Brockman. “We’re not looking for a specific response every time.”

Recently, a similar facility on the University of Iowa campus closed, making this the only facility of its kind in Iowa, said Kapke.

The DNA facility at Iowa State is also involved in the business of molecular merchandise. The DNA facility is involved in extracting DNA from plants and plasma and then selling that DNA to research facilities.

“Clients send us their DNA, we do the sequencing on it, then we send it back,” said Michael Baker, assistant scientist in the biotechnology department.

The DNA facility usually receives material from research facilities in the form of plasma, Baker said.

“It’s usually plant material since that’s what people on campus work with, but we also get stuff, animal material,” Baker said.

The hybridoma facility and DNA facility work separately, though the hybridoma facility will at times use the DNA extraction or other areas of the DNA facility for its own research. The funding for the hybridoma facility comes from the provost office.

“The provost pays my salary and space for the facility,” said Kapke. “Everything else we are able to buy with the funds we generate from our work.”

The facility is involved with patent work, but retains none of it for itself.

“We are a service facility. Any and all antibody probes developed in our facility belong to the client,” Kapke said.

The facility does not directly work with any other groups on campus. Other than minor work with the DNA facility, the hybridoma facility is independent and self-contained.

“We are pretty much an autonomous unit,” Kapke said.