Short Description
The Central Research Laboratories at the Natural History Museum Vienna comprise the Research Laboratory of Molecular Systematics (DNA Lab) as well as the facilities of microanalysis, which include the Electron Microscope Analytical Facilities and a Micro-CT.
Contact Person
Dr. Elisabeth Haring
Research Services
Use by external parties (for a fee or in the frame of cooperations) is possible after agreement with the responsible contact person; Scientific cooperation, especially in the context of third-party funded projects possible. Contract work is also accepted by agreement.
Methods & Expertise for Research Infrastructure
Besides a large laboratory room for all standard procedures around DNA analysis, the lab DNA harbours a clean room, where UV-radiation and a filtered room ventilation system enable ancient DNA analysis to the highest standard. Furthermore, there is all equipment necessary to carry out DNA analyses, in particular in the frame of research to address questions in evolutionary biology, biological systematics and taxonomy. They comprise DNA sequence analysis, aDNA sequence analyses (from museum samples), microsatellite analysis, DNA barcoding (species identification via DNA sequencing).
The Research Laboratory for Molecular Systematics was founded in 1992. In 2013, the infrastructure was extended by a clean room.
In addition, since 1994, the DNA laboratory has been maintaining a Tissue and DNA collection with over 30,000 individual samples.
The section of microanalysis comprises a scanning electron microscope (SEM), an electron probe micro analyzer (EMPA) and a micro-CT. The areas of application are the non-destructive imaging and analysis of a wide variety of solids from various areas of geosciences, biology, anthropology and prehistory.