Cellular Imaging - Services

Cellular Imaging - Services

With decades of experience in microscopy and image analysis, the Cellular Imaging Facility Core Director is available to support the research of SWEHSC members and their labs. The Director can help you plan out an experiment from the very beginning, to come alongside to train and support your lab staff as they use key pieces of instrumentation, to assist with data analysis, as well as suggest appropriate image manipulations and text for your manuscripts or grant applications.

The Director is available to schedule a meeting to discuss your concerns, or is willing to come to SWEHSC member labs for more informal consultation or support. Please contact us.

It is important that SWEHSC members remember to acknowledge the SWEHSC Center Grant (P30 ES006694) when publishing manuscripts or abstracts that utilized the services of the SWEHSC facility cores and resource. UA Cores affiliated with Cellular Imaging include: UACC TACMASR (histology, IHC), UACC Microscopy Shared Resource (slide scanning, microscopy, image analysis), UACC/RII Flow Cytometry & Human Immune Monitoring Shared Resource, RII Imaging Cores (Electron - biological TEM; Optical - confocal, multiphoton, superresolution, widefield), and Image Analysis (Imaging Cores - Optical, UACC MSR), and the RII Translational BioImaging Resource (small animal imaging by MRI, microCT, ultrasound, fluorescence/bioluminescence).

If you can't find what you need in this list, contact us and we will help you look for what you need. There are additional microscopy and imaging resources at the other state universities, which can be located in the AZ Cores Network

There are a number of reasons to use a full-service facility.

  • Full-service labs allow investigators to "pay as you go".
  • Service labs typically use newer equipment that receives regular maintenance.
  • The staff in the facilities often have decades worth of experience.
  • If you are trying something new, a full service lab can walk you through the entire process.
Paraffin/Frozen Section Histology & Immunohistochemistry (IHC)

TACMASR (University of Arizona Cancer Center) - Users bring fixed or snap-frozen tissues to the Lab and in a week to 10 days they should expect to have microscope slides. Slides can be stained with routine and special stains, or left un-stained so that users can perform immunohistochemistry (IHC) or immunofluorescence (IF) on their samples. Users can have TACMASR perform computer-controlled IHC or in situ hybridization (ISH) on their samples using one of TACMASR's previously verified antibodies. Advice and microscopic analysis by a board certified Pathologist is available.

Whole Slide Imaging (WSI)

Microscopy Shared Resource (University of Arizona Cancer Center) - users will drop off slides for scanning with instructions regarding the magnification required (2x, 4x, 10x, 20x, 40x) and the imaging mode required (color transmitted light, color polarized light, up to 5 channel fluorescence). After the scanning is completed users will be given access to a digital file that represents the scanned area. Image analysis routines can be developed in the Nikon software if required.

Electron Microscopy (EM)

Imaging Cores - Electron (RII Core Facilities) - This facility specializes in biological transmission EM. Users bring fixed samples and can expect either 1um plastic sections, TEM grids, or TEM digital photos, depending on their research needs. The Keck Imaging facility in Chemistry can perform scanning EM of biological samples.

Flow Cytometry & Human Immune Monitoring

Flow Cytometry & Human Immune Monitoring Shared Resource (RII Core Facilities & University of Arizona Cancer Center) - This facility provides full-service flow cytometry and cell sorting capabilities. Their workhorse instrument, a BD FACSAria III, can count 11 different characteristics simultaneously, is BSL2 compliant, and can sort into 4 different sub-populations. Additional information is available at the UACC's website.

The Facility Core provides a number of one-on-one training opportunities for SWEHSC faculty, staff, students and post-docs. These can be formal training opportunities related to a specific instrument/technique, or informal explanations tailored to a specific research question.

Instruments

Mr. Cromey has specific expertise in light, confocal, superresolution, and electron microscopy, as well as image analysis and time-lapse imaging of live cells. He can provide the following types of instrument-specific training:

  • Laboratory light microscopes - There are a number of very nice light microscopes in research labs that are often poorly used, dirty, and mis-aligned. Mr. Cromey can teach your lab staff how to care for, and align, your lab microscope so that it is used properly and will last for a long time. No cost for the laboratories of SWEHSC investigators.
  • UACC Spinning disk confocal (Nikon) - Mr. Cromey previously managed this instrument and can provide hands-on support for SWEHSC users. 
  • RII Zeiss LSM880 confocal microscopes - Mr. Cromey can provide hands-on support and training for SWEHSC users on these microscopes.
  • Light Microscopes and Image analysis workstations - Learn how to use these instruments to acquire images for a specific research purpose or for performing an image analysis experiment. The Leica DMI6000 and the Zeiss Axio Observer 7 with Apotome III have an hourly usage fee, but the image analysis workstation is freely available. There is no cost to SWEHSC investigators for any additional off-microscope consultation.
  • Electron microscopy - while Mr. Cromey does not provide instrument training for the TEM, he does have 15 years of electron microcopy experience that users can tap into when preparing and interpreting their experiments. 
  • Superresolution Structured Illumination Microscope (SR-SIM) - Mr. Cromey manages this instrument and provides all the training and technical support. New users learn about the optics and mathematics behind this technique. 
  • Other instrument training (not specifically provided by the Cellular Imaging Resource) - Interested users can contact the other facilities (Flow Cytometry, TACMASR) associated with the Resource to receive training directly from the staff in those facilities. There are fees associated with the training and/or equipment use, follow the web links to learn more details.

Please note: since RII pays a portion of Mr. Cromey's salary, there is a personnel/training charge when using the RII cores, along with the standard hourly usage fees. Using the SWEHSC subsidy account (applies to RII cores only) for such charges reduces the cost for the investigator.

Digital Imaging
  • Introduction to Scientific Digital Imaging - A four hour workshop that has traditionally been given annually. We are currently in the process of transitioning this workshop to an on-line learning platform so that it can be available year-round.
  • Digital imaging software - Learn how to correctly use Adobe Photoshop to process digital images and set up figures for publications. No cost for the laboratories of SWEHSC investigators.
  • Digital imaging ethics - Take advantage of Mr. Cromey's expertise in this area. Allow us to teach you, your students, staff and post-docs how to correctly work with digital images. You can review a list of image ethics guidelines (Digital Imaging: Ethics) and Mr. Cromey was a contributing author for the Online Learning Tool for Research Integrity and Image Processing (a case-study based learning tool, this site was funded by a grant from the US Office of Research Integrity).
Other ways to learn more

Visit our award winning Microscopy & Imaging Resources pages (on the UA Microscopy Alliance), or browse our long list of PDF tutorials, tip sheets and handouts (on the UA Microscopy Alliance).

The following opportunities are not specific to the Cellular Imaging Resource, but are available on the UA campus:

  • Microscopy-related workshops & seminars are announced regularly on the UA Microscopy Alliance website (a project developed and supported by Mr. Cromey).
  • Fundamentals of Light Microscopy & Electronic Imaging - CMM 565A This is a lecture/hands-on course that teaches the essential principles and applications of light microscopy and electronic imaging.  By the end of the course, you will be able to use and adjust a research microscope for various modes of light microscopy. Instructor: Dr. Padilla-Rodriguez.
  • Human Histology - CMM 410/510 (3 units, taught during summer pre-session), This course will provide pre-health science professions students as well as students planning a career in biomedical research with essential background in functional morphology of human tissues and organs. Instructor: Dr. Lybarger
  • Pathology 515 - (spring semester) The course is designed for graduate students training for a career in biomedical research. The goal of the course is to expand and extend the student's knowledge of normal structure and function, into the realm of disease processes. Instructor: Dr. Breihl.
  • The UA's Edge learning includes a subscription to LinkedIN Learning, which includes thousands of courses, with many on familiar software titles. As part of the campus license for Adobe Creative Cloud, campus users have access to a large collection of tutorials for users of Adobe Creative Cloud.
  • UA Office of Student Computing Resources - provides software assistance, and free access to multimedia equipment for UA faculty, staff & students, with access to knowledgeable staff. Also, the UA Library allows campus users can check out computers, tablets, video cameras, lighting, DSLRs, etc.

The facilities affiliated with Cellular Imaging have instruments in a number of locations. These maps will make it easier for users to find the appropriate buildings and rooms. Some buildings require pre-authorized CatCard access.

NOTE: These map links are custom queries that use the University of Arizona's geographic information system (GIS) resources. They highlight specific locations within buildings or buildings within the Tucson campus. Users can zoom out to see the context of where the highlighted rooms are located in relation to other nearby buildings on the campus map.

MAP NAME
RESOURCES
Biosciences Research Laboratories (BSRL) - basement map
Translational Bioimaging Resource - TBIR (RII) - Bioluminescence/fluorescence imager, MicroCT, small animal MRI, small animal high-resolution ultrasound, clinical MRI, SPECT, PET
Life Sciences North (LSN) - 4th floor map

Imaging Cores - Electron (RII) - Biological Electron Microscopy

Imaging Cores - Optical (RII) - Light microscopy (transmitted, polarized, fluorescence), Superresolution fluorescence microscopy, Image analysis, Doug Cromey's office

Main Campus - area map

Imaging Cores - Optical (RII) - Inverted point scanning confocal, upright multiphoton/confocal, fluorescence stereomicroscope, vibratome

MCB Imaging Facility (MCB) - deconvolution fluorescence

Keck Center for Surface and Interface Imaging (Chem & Biochem) - spinning disk confocal, Scanning EM, Atomic Force microscopy

Marley - basement floor map
Imaging Cores - Optical (RII) - Fluorescence stereomicroscope, Confocal microscope, Multiphoton microscope, vibratome
Medical Research Building (MRB) - 2nd floor map
Flow Cytometry Shared Resource (RII and UACC) - Flow cytometer
University of Arizona Cancer Center (UACC) - basement floor map

Flow Cytometry Shared Resource (RII and UACC) - flow cytometry

Microscopy Shared Resource (UACC) - Microscope slide scanning, Confocal microscopy (spinning disk & point-scanning), Multiphoton, STORM superresolution, Image analysis

Tissue Acquisition and Cellular/Molecular Analysis Shared Resource (UACC) - Histology, Immunohistochemistry (IHC)

University of Arizona Health Sciences (UAHS) - area map

Translational Bioimaging Resource - TBIR (RII) - Bioluminescence/fluorescence imager, MicroCT, small animal MRI, small animal high-resolution ultrasound, clinical MRI, SPECT, PET

Functional Genomics Core (RII) - High Content Imaging

Flow Cytometry Shared Resource (RII and UACC) - flow cytometry

Microscopy Shared Resource (UACC) - Microscope slide scanning, Confocal microscopy (spinning disk & point-scanning), Multiphoton, STORM superresolution, Image analysis

Tissue Acquisition and Cellular/Molecular Analysis Shared Resource (UACC) - Histology, Immunohistochemistry (IHC), Microscope slide scanning, Confocal microscopy, Image analysis

Imaging Cores - Electron (RII) - Biological Electron Microscopy

Imaging Cores - Optical (RII) - Light microscopy (transmitted, polarized, fluorescence), Superresolution fluorescence microscopy, Image analysis, Doug Cromey's office

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The Cellular Imaging Facility Core supports the UA Microscopy Alliance website. This includes: