MCW Core Facilities and Research Resources
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Biomedical Resource Center
Cost Structure: Per diem charge based on species
User Base: All investigators at MCW and affiliated institutions
Link to Website *MCW network access required
The Oscar F. Peterson Biomedical Resource Center is a service center that provides core support for animal-based research and teaching at the college. The Center employs a veterinary staff and approximately 40 support technicians who work to sustain a high quality environment in which state-of-the-art animal husbandry and veterinary medical care are provided to the animal colonies. The Center's veterinary staff provides guidance to research personnel in handling, immobilization, anesthesia, surgery and post-surgical care, euthanasia, and other animal procedures, while at the same time working to prevent, control, diagnose, and treat diseases and injuries. The Center partners with investigators, the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), and the Office of Research to ensure the humane treatment of animals, achievement of scientific objectives, and compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and professional standards.
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Biophotonic Imaging Core
Cost Structure: Training fee and user fee
User Base: All investigators at MCW and affiliated institutions after training
The Biophotonic Imaging Core is available to all investigators for live animal imaging using bioluminescent or fluorescent molecules as reporters of gene or protein expression. Biophotonic imaging permits serial, non-invasive tracking of gene expression in many different applications, including monitoring biological pathway activation, disease progression, angiogenesis, assessment of therapeutic interventions, tumor growth, cell proliferation, etc. The Biophotonic Imaging Core is equipped with two instruments an IVISÒ Lumina. (www.xenogen.org) and a Maestro™ Multi-Spectral Imaging System (www.cri-inc.com). The Lumina can image fluorescent and/or bioluminescent reporters. The Maestro uses multispectral acquisition and analysis for fluorescence-based in vivo or in vitro molecular imaging. Both systems have highly sensitive CCD cameras, light-tight imaging chambers, computer automation of operation, and software for image acquisition and analysis. The field of view can be adjusted to image up to 3 mice or a medium size rat at a time. Potential users must be trained on the instrument(s) and must have an IACUC-approved imaging protocol before using the core.
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Biostatistics Consulting Service
Cost Structure: Fee-for-Service
User Base: All investigators at MCW and affiliated institutions
Link to Website
The Division of Biostatistics in the Department of Population Health offers comprehensive statistical consulting, computing and data entry services for clients within the Medical College, other academic institutions, government agencies and private industry. The Consulting Service draws on full-time faculty and staff to manage all projects, and each project is supervised by a faculty member. The Division of Biostatistics has state of the art statistical software packages and computing facilities. Specific services offered include assistance in grant proposal preparation, design of clinical trials, experimental design, survey design, determinations of sample size requirements, randomization, data management, statistical modeling, data analysis and interpretation. The Biostatistics faculty members have extensive experience in providing statistical support for NIH, NSF and private foundation grants. Their specializations include survival analysis, clinical trials, nonparametric methods, epidemiology, statistical genetics, regression analysis, time series analysis, graphical methods, Bayesian methods, linear models, non-linear models and stochastic modeling.
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Bryant Imaging Core
Cost Structure: User fee and training fee
User Base: MCW faculty, staff and students
The Bryant Imaging Core Facility is part of the Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy. This multi-user facility is available on a fee-basis to all Medical College faculty and staff, who have been trained and demonstrate the ability to use the microscopic equipment. Training as well as assisted or expert help are available by appointment. The facility is equipped with a Leica TCS SP2 Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope, a VisiTech QLC100 Spinning Disc Confocal Microscope, a Spot II Digital Camera System and a Metamorph Video Imaging System as well as additional computer workstations for image analysis. Key card access is required for entry into the facility.
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Cellular & Molecular Reagent Supply Center
Cost Structure: Nominal per order surcharge
User Base: MCW faculty and staff
This is a centralized facility for obtaining or ordering research supplies and reagents. Many, serum, enzymes, reagents and kits from Invitrogen and Qiagen. Most orders placed through the facility are free of shipping charges, and investigators save with special pricing available through the Supply Center. Any MCW faculty or staff may use the Supply Center, but you must have a valid Invitrogen and/or Qiagen standing purchase order number. MCW charges a nominal per order service fee to users of the Supply Center.
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Cesium Irradiation Core
Cost Structure: User fee and training fee
User Base: All investigators at MCW and affiliated institutions after training
Link to Application Forms *MCW network access required
The Cesium Irradiation Core consists of a self-shielded Shepherd Mark I Cesium Irradiator designed for gamma irradiation of small animals (rodents). Cells and other tissues can also be irradiated. The irradiator is available for use by all investigators within the MCW community without charge. All users must register with the Radiation Safety Office and undergo a background check before access is allowed. Application forms are available online. Training on the irradiator is done on the first Friday of each month.
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Children's Research Institute Histology Core
Cost Structure: Fee-for-service
User Base: All faculty at MCW and collaborating institutions
Link to Website
The Pediatric Pathology Division of the Department of Pathology, in conjunction with the Children's Research Institute, operates a full-service Histology Core Research Laboratory located on the 4th floor of the CRI adjacent to the CRI Histology Core. This facility offers a broad range of high-quality histological and immunohistochemical services available on a fee-for-service basis to all investigators within MCW and collaborating institutions. Services provided include: Frozen and fixed tissue embedding, processing, cryostat and microtome sectioning; routine H&E staining; specialized histological staining (e.g., trichrome, PAS, GMS); and immunohistochemical and immuofluorescent staining. Optimization of immunostaining protocols using investigator-provided antibodies is also offered. Training in histological and immunohistochemical techniques is available to investigators and their staff on an hourly fee basis. Quality control is provided by an ASCP-certified histotechnician and an American Board of Pathology-certified pathologist.
Major equipment includes: A Sakura Tissue-Tek VIP5 tissue processor; a Microm EC350 tissue embedding center; a Leica CM1850 UV Cryostat; two Microm HM355S motorized rotary microtomes; two robotic routine stainers (Sakura Prisma and Microm HMS740); two robotic immunostainers (Dako Autostainer Plus and Microm HMS710i); a Leica IP S slide labeler; and a Tissue-Tek glass coverslipper.
This Core provides high-quality histology services and does not allow direct investigator use of Core Histology equipment. Entrance to the Core requires authorized card access.
For additional information, contact the Pediatric Pathology office.
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Children's Research Institute (CRI) Imaging Core (Paula North, MD, PhD, Director)
Location: CRI-4th Floor
Cost Structure: Fee-for-service
User Base: All faculty at MCW and collaborating institutions
The Pediatric Pathology Division of the Department of Pathology, in collaboration with the CRI, operates a microscopy-based Imaging Core Facility located on the 4th floor of the Translational and Biomedical Research Center adjacent to the CRI Histology Core. This facility provides investigators with fee-based assisted and unassisted access to a variety of state-of-the-art microscopic imaging systems. Assisted and unassisted fee schedules are available on request. The Imaging Core is open to all investigators at MCW and collaborating institutions. Access to Core microscopic and imaging systems is controlled, monitored, and protected by sign-up sheets, card reader entry, and individualized computer account sign-on. Unassisted use of Imaging Core equipment requires prescribed training, demonstration of competency, and approval by the Core Director. Available equipment include:
Widefield systems (fluorescence and brightfield-equipped):
- a Zeiss Axioimager Z1 upright motorized microscope (with 5x, 10x, 20x, 40x, and 63x Plan APO objectives and TRITC, GFP, and DAPI filter sets) equipped with both an Axiocam HrC (color) camera and a Nuance Multi-Spectral Imaging System for spectral scanning and unmixing.
- a Zeiss Axiovert 200 inverted microscope with Axiocam MrC camera (with 2.5x Plan Neofluar, 10x Plan APO, 20x LD-A Plan, 20x Plan Apo, and 40x Plan Apo objectives and filter sets for DAPi, rhodamine, and FITC).
- a Zeiss P.A.L.M. Microbeam III Laser Capture Microdissection System (with 10x Fluar, 20x Neofluar, 40x Plan Neofluar, and 63x Plan Neofluar objectives, and with DAPI, TRITC, and FITC filters).
Laser-scanning systems:
- a Zeiss LSM510 laser scanning confocal inverted microscope equipped with 405 diode (for DAPI), multi-line argon (458nm, 477nm, 488nm, 514nm), DPSS-561, and red HeNe (633nm) lasers, and EC Plan Neofluar 5x and 10x, Plan Apo 20x, LD C-Apochromat 40x, and C-Apo 63x objectives.
- a Zeiss LSM510 META NLO multiphoton laser scanning microscope equipped with an Argon multi-line laser (458nm, 477 nm, 488 nm, 514 nm), a DPSS-561 laser, a red HeNe laser (633 nm), and a Coherent Chameleon Ultra II Ti:sapphire laser, rapidly tunable between 680 and 1080 nm. This system is outfitted with a Zeiss XL-3 incubator to assure stable environmental control during long incubations, and with Zeiss EC Plan Neofluar 5x and 10x, Plan Apo 20x, C-Apo 40x, and W Plan-Apo objectives.
Software systems include Axiovision 4.6 and the basic LSM software, supplemented by modules for multichannel fluorescence, extended focus, interactive measurement, deconvolution, multi-time, and rapid 3D reconstruction.
A website with fee schedules, detailed information about the systems and sample preparation protocols, and on-line scheduling is under development. In the interim, contact the Core Director for more information or to request Core access.
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CMCRT Irradiation Core
Cost Structure: No charge to MCW faculty; User fee for non-MCW investigators
User Base: All investigators at MCW and affiliated institutions after training
Link to Application Forms *MCW network access required
The Center for Medical Countermeasures against Radiological Terrorism (CMCRT) Irradiation Core consists of a cobalt-6-0 teletherapy unit and a 320 kVp X-ray unit. The core is supported by a sophisticated radiation dosimetry service. The CMCR Irradiation Core is suitable for large animals, can irradiate small volumes of both large and small animals, and can irradiate animals and cells at low dose rates for prolonged periods of time. The Irradiation Core is available for use by all CMCRT investigators without charge, and to other MCW investigators on a fee-for-service basis. Users do not need to register with the Radiation Safety Office. |
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Echo Core Laboratory
Cost Structure: Not specified
Link to Website
The Echo Core Laboratory is available for any animal or clinical research project that requires echocardiography throughout MCW and the community. Laboratory personnel can p commonly used items are in-stock and available for immediate pick-up, including various mediarovide consultation to investigators who wish to include cardiac ultrasound imaging in their study design. They can assist in developing customized ultrasound protocols for investigator-initiated animal and clinical studies. Cardiac and vascular ultrasound can be performed for animal studies, investigator initiated research, and clinical trials. Protocol design, image acquisition and analysis with presentation of data results can be provided as needed .
Standard Doppler of blood flow, tissue Doppler, Doppler-based strain and strain rate, as well as 2D (speckle) strain can be performed. 3D echocardiography is available for clinical studies, including automated volume quantitation. Vascular imaging and IMT measurements are available. The Echo Core Lab has access to two state of the art machines, including a Philips iE33 and General Electric Vivid 7 ultrasound systems. Separate Philips Focus and Echopac workstations are used for off-line analysis.
The GE Vivid 7 machine and EchoPac workstation for off-line data analysis, in addition to a VisualSonics Vevo 770 High Frequency ultrasound system, are located within the Cardiovascular Center and are available for imaging experimental animals. Machines can be used by the investigator, or technical services may be contracted from the Core laboratory.
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Electron Microscopy Core Facility
Cost Structure: Fee-for-service
User Base: MCW faculty and staff
Link to Website *MCW network access required
The Electron Microscopy Core Facility at the Medical College of Wisconsin is an interdepartmental research service unit managed on behalf of the Medical College by the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics and the Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy. The facility provides service, some training, and consultation for research projects requiring transmission electron microscopy. The Facility operates on a fee-for-service basis and is open to all faculty and staff of the Medical College of Wisconsin. The Electron Microscopy Core Facility houses all equipment and materials necessary for a wide range of transmission electron microscopy techniques. This includes JEOL 2100 & Hitachi 600 electron microscopes; Leica EMPact 2 high pressure freezing apparatus & Leica Automated Freeze Substitution apparatus; RMC powertome, Reichert Ultracut E and RMC 6000 ultramicrotomes, and complete tissue processing and darkroom facilities. The JEOL 2100 microscope is equipped with a 2K x 2K ultrahigh resolution digital camera and is able to perform high resolution tomography up to a tilt angle of +/- 80o. Specialized techniques including immuno-electron microscopy, negative staining and enzyme cytochemistry are available.
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Epidemiology Data Service Center
Cost Structure: Fee-for-service
User Base: MCW faculty and staff
Link to Website
Located within the Division of Epidemiology in the Department of Population Health, the Epidemiology Data Service Center (EDSC) is a centralized resource for secondary health and demographic data. The EDSC also provides expertise in the use of spatial data and geographic information systems (GIS). A wide range of services are offered including: providing summary statistics and basic statistical analyses, preparing data set extracts and data files for analysis, lending data management and preparation expertise, providing advice on development of study design, assistance with long-term secondary data research projects, mapping, geocoding and other GIS spatial data processing, and assistance in the use of GIS. EDSC services are available to MCW and MCW-affiliated researchers. The current collection includes over 200 secondary databases on topics such as demographics, health behaviors, vital events, ambulatory care, inpatient care, long-term care, and medical expenditures. The EDSC is staffed by one full-time data coordinator and faculty from the Division of Biostatistics.
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Flow Cytometry Core
Cost Structure: Hourly user fee and fee-for-service
User Base: MCW faculty and staff
Link to Website
The Flow Cytometry Core provides access to instrumentation for flow cytometric analysis and fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) of single cell suspensions. Flow cytometry is an analytical tool for rapid analysis of heterogenous cell populations at a single cell level based on multiple cellular characteristics. Applications include detection of cells based on antigen expression, measuring DNA content, detection of cell death (apoptosis), drug efflux studies, cell-cycle measurements, calcium flux analysis, sterile cell sorting, and isolation of gene-marked cells, among others. Two instruments are available in the core: a FACSÒ Calibur and a FACSÒ DiVa. The Calibur is used for routine analysis of immunofluorescent staining and for cell cycle analysis. Investigators may use the Calibur own their own after training or certification by the core Director. There is an hourly fee for using the Calibur. The DiVa is a digitally upgraded FACSÒ Vantage SE equipped with TurboSort for high-speed sorting. The DiVa is equipped with three-lasers and is used for complex multiparameter cell sorting experiments and other specialized studies. The FACSÒ DiVa is operated only by core staff and sorting or analysis is done on a fee-for-service basis by core staff. Sterile sorting is available.
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Functional Imaging Research Center
Cost Structure: Hourly charge
User Base: Collaborating faculty
Link to Website
The center was founded in 2002 with the mission of uniting basic and clinical scientists of various disciplines to further the development and application of functional imaging in health and disease. The Center oversees the development and maintenance of infrastructure to support the currently funded research projects in functional imaging. The Center oversees the operations of two dedicated MRI research scanners on campus.
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GCRC Imaging Core
Cost Structure: Not specified
User Base: MCW faculty and staff
Link to Website
The GCRC Imaging Core is an integrated environment where functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is user-friendly, reproducible, flexible, safe, and efficient in cost and time. The Core supports current GCRC protocols and assists in the development of new protocols. It also serves as a site for training investigators in fMRI technology and methods. The Imaging Core supports functional imaging research with assistance with study design; task programming and training; device development and training; MRI safety and compatibility training/testing; scanner operation; recruitment & scheduling of subjects; technical support during data acquisition; data analysis and training; and assistance with the preparation of publications and grant proposals. This support is primarily oriented towards investigators without independent laboratory support. The Imaging Area gives investigators access to the short-bore 3T GE MR scanner (where pediatric studies and cardiac imaging are both performed) and the Mock Scanner, used to accommodate subjects to the research environment. The secured area houses a room to instruct subjects in their participation, lockers, a waiting room, and room for equipment storage. GCRC projects are also conducted on a long-bore 3T GE MR Scanner located adjacent to the Biophysics Department. The Imaging Core provides and maintains a variety of equipment for presenting auditory, visual, and other stimuli, for monitoring manual responses and physiologic events, for experimental control, and for data analysis and storage.
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GCRC Core Laboratory
Cost Structure: Not specified
User Base: MCW faculty and staff
Link to Website
The CLIA-certified GCRC Core Laboratory consists of an analytical and preparatory laboratory, a cold room with walk-in freezer space, and a radioactive work area, with close access to cell culture and storage facilities. The Core Laboratory provides a variety of routine and specialized tests as required by GCRC protocols; new tests are established as needed, provided that they fall within the established assay platforms, which currently include spectrophotometric, radioimmunoassay, and enzyme immunoassay procedures. The Core Laboratory also performs DNA extraction using the Gentra Systems Autopure LS DNA processing system. In addition to the Director, the core is staffed by 2 research technologists.
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HPLC Core
Cost Structure: Not specified
User Base: All faculty
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Mass Spectrometry Facility
Cost Structure: Fee-for-service
User Base: MCW faculty and non-MCW investigators
Link to Website
The MSMS Facility is an interdepartmental research service unit located in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology. The facility provides consultation and service for a variety of mass spectrometric analyses of organic compounds, peptides and proteins. The facility has one 7.0 Tesla Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometer (IonSpec) interfaced to a liquid chromatograph (LC-ESI) and an atmospheric pressure-MALDI source, one LC-triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (Waters), and one LC-single quadrupole mass spectrometer (Agilent). In addition, the facility has a gas chromatograph (GC)-single quadrupole mass spectrometer (Agilent) available. For some long-term projects, the facility may provide training for operation and data analysis to investigators and research personnel. The facility operates on a fee-for-service basis and is open to faculty of the Medical College of Wisconsin and outside researchers.
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Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility
Cost Structure: Hourly rates and fee-for-service
User Base: MCW faculty and non-MCW investigators
Link to Website
The NMR Facility is an interdepartmental research service unit operated by faculty in the Biochemistry Department. High-field NMR spectroscopy is a powerful technique for the study of biomolecular structure and dynamics. The facility provides service for routine 1D and 2D NMR methods, and can also provide consultation and collaborative assistance with the acquisition and analysis of multidimensional, multinuclear protein NMR spectra. The facility operates two Bruker 600 MHz and one 500 MHz NMR spectrometers, each equipped with 1H/13C/15N cryoprobes for enhanced sensitivity in biomolecular applications. In addition, a Bruker 300 MHz NMR spectrometer is available for routine analytical NMR of small molecules. For some long-term projects, the facility provides training for instrument operation and data analysis to investigators and research personnel. The facility operates on a fee-for-service basis and is open to faculty of the Medical College of Wisconsin and outside researchers.
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Protein and Nucleic Acid Facility
Cost Structure: Fee-for-service
User Base: MCW faculty and non-MCW investigators
Link to Website
The Protein and Nucleic Acid (PNA) Facility is a core fee-for-service laboratory offering DNA sequencing, peptide synthesis, protein/peptide sequencing by Edman degradation, protein identification using mass spectrometry, Isoelectric focusing, and Biacore data analysis. DNA sequencing is performed using a 16-capillary Applied Biosystems 3100 Genetic Analyzer. Peptide synthesis is performed using one of 2 Applied Biosystems Synergy 432A synthesizers. Edman degradation is performed using a Beckman amino acid sequencer. Protein identification is performed using either an Applied Biosystems DE-PRO MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer for purified proteins or a Thermo-Fisher LTQ nanospray-LC/MS for purified and complex mixtures of proteins. Isoelectric focusing is performed using a Bio-Rad MicroRotofor. In addition, the PNA offers proteomics workshops, consultation, and data analysis to investigators. Affinity/kinetic measurements of molecular interactions are performed using a Biacore 3000 instrument. The services are open to investigators at MCW as well as outside researchers.
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Regenerative Medicine Core
Cost Structure: Not Specified
User Base: MCW faculty and staff
Website: Under construction
Work using both human and rodent ES cells is technically demanding because the cells have a tendency to differentiate and adopt characteristics that promote growth over pluripotency. Difficulty maintaining ES cells in a pluripotent, undifferentiated state is the predominant reason why inexperienced investigators have struggled to establish stem cell research in their laboratories. Maintenance of the ES pluripotent state is an essential starting point for investigations designed to reveal molecular pathways that result in the attainment of one differentiated outcome rather than another of over 200 possible. To encourage stem cell research at MCW, we have established a Regenerative Medicine Core laboratory (a) to guarantee the availability of ES cells that retain a normal karyotype and full pluripotency, (b) to maintain, characterize and transgenically manipulate human embryonic stem (ES) cells for investigational purposes, and (c) to offer training to investigators so that they can transfer the technologies to their own laboratories.
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The Transgenic Core
Cost Structure: Fee-for-service
User Base: MCW faculty and non-MCW investigators
Link to Website
The Transgenic Core consists of a laboratory for procedures involving production and maintenance of transgenic mouse strains, a tissue culture facility for all procedures involving embryonic stem (ES) cells and gene targeting experiments, and a transgenic barrier holding facility. The Core director has extensive experience in the production of genetically altered mice, and includes three additional staff skilled in various aspects of transgenic animal production and related procedures. The core offers sperm and embryo cryopreservation, rederivation of mouse lines, and in vitro fertilization and is equipped to perform all procedures involving production and maintenance of transgenic or knock-out mice. Instrumentation includes an injection workstation (Nikon inverted phase contrast microscope with Hoffman modulation optics, temperature-controlled injection stage, air-suspended injection table, Eppendorf motor-driven injection system), microforge, needle puller, Nikon stereozoom microscope, surgical microscope, CO2-incubator, laminar flow hood for surgical procedures, and a cell fusion instrument for tetraploid embryo production. Liquid nitrogen tanks and an automated cell freezer for cryopreservation of fertilized oocytes are available as shared instrumentation through the Transgenic Core.
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Viral Vector Core: See listings under Blood Research Institute Core Laboratories
The Viral Vector Core is a shared facility of MCW and the BRI. It specializes in vectors based on lentiviruses and adenoviruses.
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Macromolecular X-ray Crystallography Facility
Cost Structure: Not specified
User Base: MCW faculty and collaborators
The Macromolecular X-ray Crystallography Facility is part of the Structural Biology Center, Department of Biochemistry. The facility houses a state-of-the-art X-ray diffraction system consisting of a Rigaku R-AXIS IV++ image plate detector system and MicroMax 007 generator equipped with an Osmic confocal mirror set and an X-treme crystal cryocooler. The facility also includes a Hamilton STAR robot for crystallization set-ups and solution dispensing. The facility is open to faculty members of the Medical College of Wisconsin. Various levels of training are available and collaborative arrangements can be made to scientists both inside and outside of the MCW community.
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