Facilities
La Trobe University has partnered with the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (DEDJTR) to develop AgriBio, the Centre for AgriBioscience, a 4288 million investment which offers world-class facilities for agricultural biosciences research and development. As a major partner in AgriBio, the Department of Animal Plant and Soil Sciences plays a pivotal role in plant, animal and microbial biosciences and bioprotection research and diagnostics.
Along with new world-class laboratories for biological and chemical analyses, the Department has specialised laboratory equipment including:
- high throughput sequencing
- fluorescence microscopy, including laser capture dissection
- protein expression and purification (FPLC)
- atomic absorption spectrophotometer
- flow injection analyser
- ICP analyser
- carbon-nitrogen-sulphur auto-analyser
- ultracentrifuge
We have on-campus facilities for intensive and in-depth investigations of soil, plants and animals within the 'farm' - a unique feature among Melbourne universities. The 2 - 3 ha space includes:
- animal houses and outdoor animal facilities
- glasshouses to allow field cropping, experimental plots and an expanse of land for grazing livestock
- field research station with orchard, vineyard, cropping and pasture trial facilities
- meteorological station, allowing for frequent monitoring and detailed data collection.