TROY, N.Y. — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute President Shirley Ann Jackson and New York Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno joined biotechnology researchers and business leaders today at the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies at Rensselaer to unveil a powerful new tool — a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer — that aids in research on the cause and treatment of disease.

“The addition of cutting-edge NMR technology to the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies at Rensselaer is an important investment as we continue to build the infrastructure in this world-class research facility,” said Rensselaer President Shirley Ann Jackson. “This state-of-the-art equipment is already attracting new researchers to Rensselaer who are working at the forefront of discovery in basic and applied health research. We applaud Senator Bruno for his vision and commitment to expanding biotechnology research in New York.”

“The Capital Region, particularly RPI, is a 21st century leader in cutting-edge biotechnology and life sciences research, and today’s announcement certainly bolsters that reputation,” said Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno. “The brand-new nuclear magnetic resonance equipment will dramatically improve the ability of doctors and researchers to better understand and treat diseases that affect the lives of thousands of people, giving us yet another tool in the battle to cure them once and for all. I applaud this critically important investment, which will enhance the quality of life for people not only across New York state, but throughout the entire nation.”

The NMR spectrometer is a superconducting magnet that uses strong magnetic fields to provide detailed information on the 3-D structure of biological molecules. This information can assist researchers who are seeking to better understand proteins that cause disease and seeking new therapies to treat disease. Rensselaer researchers are now using the high-field magnet to study health problems such as Alzheimer’s disease and to develop new methods for using NMR technology. Rensselaer’s new equipment is available for use by other research institutions and biotechnology businesses.

“We are pleased to house a powerful research tool that is accessible not only to researchers at Rensselaer but to private industry and researchers at other institutions,” said Robert Palazzo, director of the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies at Rensselaer.

“The presence of this magnificent instrument will allow us to study, at the atomic level, the proteins that cause a number of diseases.” 

The new Bruker Biospin 800 MHz at Rensselaer is currently the most sensitive and powerful NMR spectrometer in upstate New York. In NMR-based research, the sensitivity of the instrument is paramount, and stronger magnetic fields provide significantly better signals and data resolution. The 800 MHz unit, which weighs approximately 10 tons and stands almost two stories high, joins a 600 MHz unit obtained last year in the developing NMR facility located at the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies at Rensselaer.  

The NMR facility is part of the Gen*NY*sis Center for Bioengineering and Medicine at Rensselaer, a $22.5 million investment in biotechnology infrastructure by New York state.

The state investment supports essential infrastructure, including laboratory equipment and facilities across the state, including the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, and augments fundamental and applied research at Rensselaer. Now grown to a $150 million research center, the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies at Rensselaer opened in September 2004 and is funded by private, federal, and state sources.

Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies at Rensselaer
At Rensselaer, faculty and students in diverse academic and research disciplines are collaborating at the intersection of the life sciences, the physical sciences, and engineering to encourage discovery and innovation. Rensselaer’s four biotechnology research constellations — biocatalysis and metabolic engineering, functional tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, biocomputation and bioinformatics, and integrative systems biology — engage a multidisciplinary mix of faculty and students focused on the application of engineering and physical and information sciences to the life sciences. Ranked among the world’s most advanced research facilities, the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies at Rensselaer provides a state-of-the-art platform for collaborative research and world-class programs and symposia.