Specimen Labs

Morphology Lab

The KU Biodiversity Institute Morphology Laboratory is a shared research space where a diversity of researchers explore the developmental and adult anatomy of museum specimens, skeletons, and fossilized vertebrates using traditional white light and fluorescent imaging. This facility has ample bench space with several stereo and compound microscopes for phenotypic analysis, specimen preparation, illustration, and photographic documentation. A diversity of investigators, affiliates, postdocs, and students collect data for morphometrics, discrete character analysis, and ontogenetic studies. 

Basic instruction in laboratory policies and safety are necessary prior to initiating work in the Morphology Lab. Contact Leo Smith at leosmith@ku.edu.

Wet Lab

The KU Biodiversity Institute wet lab facility located, on the 4th floor of Dyche Hall, is a shared facility available for use by all those working with wet collections (alcohol and formaldehyde). The wet lab is conveniently located next to the wet wing that houses all alcoholic and formaldehyde specimens for Biodiversity Institute research units – Entomology, Herpetology, Ichthyology, Invertebrate Zoology, Mammalogy and Ornithology. See individual division’s collection pages for research use of collections.

The facility has ample bench space with extractor fan units, as well as microscopes for specimen preparation and research by investigators, affiliates, postdocs, and students. The lab is also stocked with all of the basic supplies (dissection equipment, mixed fluids, jars, vials etc.) that are necessary for work with wet collections. 

Basic instruction in laboratory policies and safety are necessary prior to initiating work in the Wet Lab. Contact Andy Bentley at abentley@ku.edu or Rafe Brown at rafe@ku.edu.

Imaging Lab

The imaging lab, located conveniently near the morphology lab on the 5th floor of Dyche Hall, houses various traditional and x-ray imaging equipment for general use by BI and affiliate researchers and collections personnel.  There are various camera and lighting setups for use with an imaging light box (and dedicated computer) for all specimen imaging needs. There is also a dissection microscope with camera mount. The lab also has various styles of immersion tanks for taking specimen images in fluid. The x-ray unit is comprised of a Picker x-ray head along with a digital detector and dedicated computer system to produce digital x-rays. 

Basic instruction in laboratory policies and safety, as well as dosimeters for x-ray work are necessary prior to initiating work in the lab. Contact Andy Bentley at abentley@ku.edu or Leo Smith at leosmith@ku.edu.