Biobehavioral Epigenetics Lab

The Biobehavioral Laboratory (BBL) was initiated in 1989 as part of the Research Support Center (RSC) and the UNC School of Nursing. The term biobehavioral refers to the interface of biological and psychosocial factors that underlie individual responses to acute and chronic illness. Since inception, the BBL has expanded in its mission to enhance knowledge and skills in biobehavioral science, physiological measurement and instrumentation.

What distinguishes the BBL from other clinical laboratories is its emphasis on non-invasive monitoring and the use of portable instrumentation. The laboratory houses a number of instruments for the monitoring of physiologic parameters such as electrical brain activity, cardiac output, oxygenation, body composition and heart rate responses. The laboratory facility supports on-site sleep research and other measurements of interest to faculty and students. This includes a brand-new epigenetics lab which contains an ABI 7500 RT-PCR system by Applied Biosystems, equipment for Western blots, mRNA isolation, fluorescent probe generation, and hybridization. The BBL also has been expanded to include a brand-new nutritional research and behavioral observation suite. This suite houses an observational room equipped with 6 in-wall cameras and a monitoring room with the latest video recording and editing software.