Cell Imaging Facility

Northwestern University At Chicago, Evanston IL

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY (See instructions): State-of-the-art imaging technologies are powerful tools that can be leveraged to study various cellular and molecular mechanisms in cancer progression and how tumor cells interact with the tumor microenvironment. The Cell Imaging Facility provides imaging modalities that cover the range from single molecule microscopy to whole animals, and from brightfield, to fluorescence and bioluminescence imaging. The Cell Imaging Facility offers bioluminescene/fluorescence in vivo imagers, microprobe lens-driven intravital microscope, multiphoton microscope, various fluorescence microscopes including macroview stereoscope, high content slide scanner and tissue cytometer, spinning disk confocal microscope, multispectral confocals with resonant scanner, integrated incubator microscope, structured illumination super-resolution microscope, laser microdissection system, and transmission electron microscope with 3D tomography capability. Collectively, this vast instrument portfolio offers core services in advanced microscopy on single molecules, macromolecular networks, live cells, FRET, FRAP, FLIP, photoconversion, TIRF, large tissue sections in bright field and fluorescence, specific tissue procurement, intravital imaging, and whole animal imaging. This creates a unique environment in which investigators can design workflow-based correlative experiments to study their cancer specimens all the way from whole animals to single molecules. This wide-ranging microscopy instrumentation and services is fully supported by the technical expertise of a team that has been consecutively recognized by the Northwestern University Office for Research as Outstanding Core for multiple years. The team is led by the facility director. Dr. Teng-Leong Chew. Dr. Chew is an expert in advanced live cell imaging, and has pioneered the development of several biosensors and imaging applications. Together the team provides active training and educational outreach in personalized instrument training, experimental consultation, seminars, journal clubs, hands-on workshops, as well as image analysis and programming boot camps. This 24-hr facility serves more than 180 labs throughout the university, and we maintain our leadership position in novel imaging technologies through a two-pronged approach: (i) aggressive and successful effort in securing shared instrument funds. We have added ten instruments over $300K since the last CCSG cycle; (ii) leveraging our expertise to attract leading manufacturers to establish beta test sites in the imaging center. These efforts have culminated in the facility being recognized by Nikon as one of only eight Nikon Imaging Centers in the world, allowing the cancer center to benefit immensely from the investment of Nikon's latest technologies. In 2012, we were selected by EuroBioimaging Consortium as the first American imaging center to join this trans-Atlantic multinational imaging network. These achievements place the Cancer Center uniquely at the forefront of cancer imaging technologies.