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Centre Advanced Histology Microscopy platforms

Our platforms include histology platforms, optical microscopy platform, electron microscopy platform, and image analysis platform

Histology platforms 

Our Advanced Histology Platform provides a histology service dedicated to research. 

Services and support offered 

  • Tissue processing and embedding 
  • Paraffin sectioning of tissues 
  • Frozen sectioning of tissues 
  • Immunohistochemistry 
  • Bone decalcification 
  • Staining and coverslipping 

Key Equipment 

  • Tissue Tek VIP 6 and Leica CM3050 S Tissue processors 
  • Thermo fisher Cryostar NX70 Cryostats 
  • Medite Tes 99 Embedding centre 
  • Leica XL Auto-stainer 
  • Instrumel GCS600 Coverslipper 
  • Dako USS Immunostainer 
  • Zeiss Hyrax M40 Rotary Microtomes 
  • Leica RM2255 Rotary Microtome 
  • Microm HM325 Rotary Microtome 
  • Leica Vibratome 
  • Sysmex cell analyser 

Optical microscopy platform 

Our Advanced Optical Microscopy Platform incorporates multiple imaging modalities including wide-field microscopy, laser capture microscopy, laser scanning confocal microscopy, spinning disk confocal microscopy, multi-photon intravital imaging, and super resolution microscopy. The platform also provides support to spatial proteomics and transcriptomics platforms.  

Services and support offered 

  • Assistance with experimental design and microscope selection 
  • Training and support on all microscopes 
  • Imaging of fixed or living cells and tissues 

Key Equipment  

Confocal Microscopes  

  • Nikon SoRa Spinning Disk Confocal. Equipped with Nikon Ti-E, Yokogawa W1 spinning disk (50 um and SoRa disks), environmental chamber (Oko Labs) and 2x Andor Sona sCMOS camers. Laser lines: 405, 445, 488, 515, 561 and 640nm
  • Olympus FV3000 confocal. Equipped with an Olympus IX83 SSU motorised stage and Ludin environmental chamber for live cell imaging. Laser lines: 405, 445, 488, 515, 561, 594, 633nm
  • Olympus FV3000 confocal. Equipped with an Olympus IX83, IX3 SSU motorised stage. Laser lines: 405, 488, 561 and 633nm. 
  • Zeiss Elyra 780 confocal equipped with a Zeiss Observer Z1 microscope and Tokia hit environmental chamber for live cell imaging. Laser lines for confocal: 405, 458, 488, 514 and 633nm 
  • Nikon C2 confocal equipped with Eclipse Ni-E microscope. Laser lines: 405, 488, 561 and 640nm 

Super Resolution Microscope 

  • Zeiss Elyra PS1 (SIM/3D PALM/dSTORM/TIRF). Equipped with a Zeiss Observer Z1 microscope and Tokai Hit environmental chamber for live cell imaging. Laser lines for TIRF/Super-Resolution: 405, 488, 561 and 633nm

Multiphoton Microscope 

  • Olympus FVMPE-RS Upright multiphoton microscope with dual pulsed lasers and a SIM scanner. Equipped with a BX63 microscope, motorised stage, heat pad, and anaesthesia apparatus for intravital imaging

Widefield Microscopes (all equipped with DIC and epifluorescence) 

  • Olympus IX83 optimised for ultra-fast image capture. Equipped with motorised Prior stage and Ludin environmental chamber for live cell imaging. Filter wheels enable 100 combinations of excitation/emission filters
  • Olympus BX53 microscope
  • Zeiss Axiovert microscope

Automated slide scanner 

  • Olympus VS120 automated slide scanner equipped with a BX61VS microscope. Brightfield, DIC and epi-fluorescence imaging are available. 100-slide capacity

Multiplex & Spatial Proteomics/Transcriptomics analysis 

  • Vectra microscope for spectral separation of multiplex-IHC samples such as OPAL (7-plex) 
  • Polaris microscope for spectral separation of multiplex-IHC samples such as OPAL (9-plex) 
  • Nanostring GeoMX Digital Spatial Profiler for the quantification of 96 protein or up to whole transcriptomics targets 

Electron microscopy platform 

The Peter MacCallum Electron Microscopy Platform encompasses both scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Biological specimens are processed for ultrastructural morphological analysis and/or immuno-gold labelling of proteins. The platform houses a range of ancillary equipment to facilitate many processing regimes including chemical or freeze fixation, freeze-substitution, embedding samples in different resins, and cryo-ultramicrotomy. 

Services Offered 

  • Cryofixation and freeze substitution 
  • Cryosectioning 
  • Tissue fixation, processing, and embedding (TEM) 
  • Tissue fixation, processing, and automated critical point drying (SEM) 
  • Resin sectioning 
  • Pre- and post-embedding immunogold labelling 
  • Imaging (SEM and TEM) 

Key Equipment 

Electron Microscopes 

  • JEOL 1400 Flash Transmitted Electron Microscope 
  • JEOL NeoScope II Scanning Electron Microscope

Ancillary Equipment 

  • Leica EMCPD300 automated Critical Point Drying apparatus
  • Balzers CPD300 Critical Point Drying apparatus
  • Emscope SC500 Gold Sputter Coater
  • EmscopeTB500 Carbon Coater
  • Leica Empact High Pressure Freezer
  • Leica KF80 freeze slammer
  • Ultramicrotomes 
  • Leica EMUC7 with FC7 cryo-attachment 
  • Reichert Ultracut S with FCS cryo-attachment 
  • Reichert Ultracut E
  • Leica EM AFS2 Automatic Freeze Substitution system
  • Reichert AFS Manual Freeze Substitution system
  • Leica EM IGL Automatic immuno-Gold Labelling apparatus

Image analysis platform 

Our Image Analysis Platform provides high-end image analysis software programs for powerful multi-dimensional analysis. Software is also provided to design custom items for specialist imaging requirements using our 3D printer. 

Key Equipment 

  • 5 High-End 64-bit computer workstations 
  • Imaris (2 licenses) 
  • Arivis (1 license) 
  • Volocity (2 licenses) 
  • Metamorph Offline (13 licenses) 
  • FIJI/Image J 
  • Halo/inForm/QuPath mIHC analysis packages 
  • VS120 slide scanner Offline 

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