Research Services

The Vectra platform can simultaneously detect up to seven different proteins of interest on one FFPE-tissue slide using Opal chemistry and spectral un-mixing.

It has an integrated automated slide-loader for up to 200 slides, which can be loaded and scanned, fully automated by user-defined protocols. Pre-scans of whole tissue slides will be performed at 4x or 10x magnification (RGB) followed by high-power-field (HPF) imaging of regions of interest in the multispectral mode (20x or 40x magnification).

The multiplex IHC images lead to a comprehensive understanding of complex cellular interactions which is not accessible by other methods. Opal follows the standard IHC workflow using unlabelled primary antibodies, followed by the addition of anti-species-HRP conjugate and detection substrate. Opal fluorescent detection substrates bind covalently near the epitope, allowing subsequent removal of antibodies to clear the tissue for detection of the next target. The signal remains intact after antibody removal.

Localisation studies of proteins in cellular compartments, co-localisation of proteins and quantification of cells expressing single markers or marker combinations can be subsequently performed with specialised software available on several work stations at the ONJCRI.

Spatial relationships of cell types to each other and within the tissue context can be analysed using Spotfire software. Scanning of the slides and selection of tissue sections and areas of interest can be automated on the Vectra system and allows for review by a pathologist before analysis. Due to the TSA based signal amplification, primary antibody concentration can be reduced up to 100X and all markers of interest can be detected with antibodies raised in the same species.

The BondRX allows you to fully automate IHC, ISH, FISH, CTC and multiplexing staining experiments. Reduce your manual work to increase your efficiency and consistence with your staining experiments. The BondRX allows you to customise all steps in your staining protocol from baking and dewaxing, antigen retrieval to the length and temperature of your staining approach. The BondRX has a 30-slide capacity, with finished trays of 10 slides being capable of replaced continuously.  Up to three separate staining protocols can be run simultaneously.

The BondRX allows you to leverage established protocols and reagents or develop completely custom and reproducible staining experiments with your own novel agents. The BondRX dramatically reduces the time required to perform your experiment. A bench run seven-plex experiment would require approximately 5 days of hands-on time manual time but with the BondRX this is reduced to a reproducible and consistent ~17 hours.

The NanoSPECT/CTTM is an in-vivo molecular imaging system suitable for use with small animals and unifies functional (SPECT) and anatomical (CT) imaging procedures for preclinical investigations. With 250μm 3D SPECT and 30μm CT spatial resolution, exceptional quantification is permitted with an accuracy over 97%.

The system enables the examination of bio-chemical processes in healthy and disease models (including cancer, diabetes and stroke). It determines the localisation of radio-labelled compounds used as probes for the disease state, and monitors the efficacy of interventions or therapies. In living subjects, the effect of drugs in development can be monitored and compared in real time and at multiple time points within the one subject. Drug localisation as well as uptake can be quantified and visualised from the data collected.  The system is also suitable for monitoring genetic modifications and gene-therapeutic healing procedures using appropriate preclinical models.

The IVIS® Spectrum is a versatile and advanced in vivo imaging system, which uses a novel patented optical imaging technology to allow non-invasive longitudinal monitoring of disease progression, cell trafficking and gene expression patterns in living animals. High efficiency filters and spectral un-mixing algorithms take full advantage of bioluminescent and fluorescent reporters across blue to near-infrared wavelengths. It also offers single-view 3D tomography for both fluorescent and bioluminescent reporters, which can be analysed in an anatomical context using a Digital Mouse Atlas or registered with the IVIS multimodality module to other tomographic technologies such as MR, CT or PET.

For advanced fluorescence pre-clinical imaging, the IVIS Spectrum can use either trans-illumination (from the bottom) or epi-illumination (from the top) to illuminate in vivo fluorescent sources. 3D diffuse fluorescence tomography can be used to determine source localisation and concentration using the combination of structured light and trans illumination fluorescent images. The instrument is equipped with 10 narrow band excitation filters (30nm bandwidth) and 18 narrow band emission filters (20nm bandwidth), which assist in significantly reducing autofluorescence, via the spectral scanning of filters and the use of spectral unmixing algorithms. In addition, the spectral unmixing tools allow the researcher to separate signals from multiple fluorescent reporters in the same animal.