The University of Kansas Nanofabrication Facility (KUNF) is a Core Lab supported by the KU Office of Research and the Center for Molecular Analysis of Disease Pathways COBRE. The KUNF primarily caters to researchers who are manufacturing micro- and nanofluidic devices for biomedical research, but has the equipment and resources to also accommodate broad research applications with micro- and nanofabrication needs. The facility consists of about 1,300 ft2 of ISO class 5, 1,700 ft2 of ISO class 6 and 1,250 ft2 of ISO class 7 cleanroom space, housing tools and materials for techniques including photolithography, nano-imprint lithography, plasma (dry) etching (ICP-RIE), wet etching, thin film deposition, scanning electron microscopy (VP-SEM), atomic force microscopy, contact angle goniometry, ellipsometry, profilometry, wafer dicing, wire bonding, laser ablation and engraving, 3D printing, hot embossing, and COMSOL software for device modeling. In addition, the facility has numerous microscopes for general inspection, ovens and furnaces, ultrapure water, and dedicated process fume hoods. Services and usage of the facility are available to researchers from all Kansas universities. Training is provided to new investigators and graduate students in the use of micro- and nanofabrication procedures and equipment. In addition, researchers from both non-Kansas academic and private industry institutions may contract with the facility for consultation and services, including access to the facility. Hourly and per-use rates apply for facility access, equipment usage, and staff labor. Consultation is free.

The University of Kansas Computational Chemical Biology and Molecular Modeling Core (CCBMM) provides the computational resources and expertise to enhance the productivity of researchers in a variety of fields, including biology, biochemistry, medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, and pharmaceutical chemistry. The CCBMM has the tools and expertise to perform virtual screening, protein-small molecule docking, binding site prediction, protein modeling and design, prediction of protein stability changes upon mutation, fragment based probe design, molecular dynamics, as well as preparation of presentation graphics.

With the introduction of Alphafold, the CCBMM has significant expertise in interpreting results, modeling specific ligands and/or alternate states that weren‘t returned by Alphafold, and virtual screening against Alphafold models, which often are not suitable for a traditional virtual screen. This is accomplished through out specialization in initial hit identification of non-traditional drug targets such as structures lacking pre-formed small molecule binding site or protein-RNA interfaces by offering high-throughput virtual screening via pocket optimization with exemplar screening at protein-protein interfaces and hotspot pharmacophore mimicry of protein-RNA interactions.

We look forward to working with you in any stage of your project, from hypothesis formation, gathering of preliminary data for grant submissions, long-term collaborations, all the way to providing a figure to put the finishing touch on your manuscript.

Provides or assists with docking and virtual screening of small molecule ligands against protein targets of interest, molecular dynamics simulation and modeling of small/macro molecules, proteins, and biomolecular systems, analysis of structure-activity relationships, visualization and graphics of biomolecules and biomolecular systems, and custom algorithm/software development along with databases and web applications.