Research Support Services and Training
The Conservation Genetics Laboratory at San Francisco State University provides molecular genetics equipment, computer analysis facilities and software, and training in the use of the facilities and software, to undergraduate and graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, faculty, and visiting researchers, as a sponsored service provided by the Department of Biology and the College of Science and Engineering.

The CGLab supports research activities by SFSU researchers within the Department of Biology, affiliated researchers at Romberg Tiburon Center and the California Academy of Sciences, other departments at SFSU, investigators from other Cal State universities and the University of California, and visiting researchers from other institutions. Currently, more than 40 researchers use the CGLab for all or a large portion of their work, additional investigators from other laboratories and a variety of undergraduate classes use the lab facilities occasionally.

Facilities and Consumables
Users of the CGLab have access to basic molecular laboratory equipment and stocks of commonly used reagents, laboratory consumables, and specialized kits for DNA extraction, standard PCR, long PCR, PCR product cleanup, cloning, restriction enzymes, DNA sequencing, and microsatellite analysis. The CGLab operates as a “recharge facility” – materials are available on hand, and users are billed for the replacement costs of materials used and for special orders placed for them by CGLab staff. Costs of all materials and procedures are pro-rated on a per-sample basis, including shipping and sales taxes. Users submit a billing form at the end of each month, listing all materials used, and are invoiced every two months. Within the university, invoiced charges are often paid via transfer from an SFSU account into the CGLab account, checks and wire transfers can also be used for payment on invoices.