Cancer Center Shared Resources

The nine shared resources of our Cancer Center are specialized service facilities that support the cancer research efforts of our members, as well as other nonprofit and for-profit investigators in cancer research.

Brochure

Animal Resources

Animal Facility
Vivarium with full-service husbandry (colony management, breeding, weaning, tail samples), and procedures, including injections, bleeds, tumor measurements, and surgeries

Animal Imaging and Analysis
Live animal imaging utilizing luminescence, fluorescence, ultrasound, and X-rays. Hematology (CBC) and blood chemistry analysis

Tumor Analysis
Supports xenograft tumor studies including PDX, testing of anti-tumor compound efficacy, deriving cell cultures from PDX models for HTS analysis

Cell Imaging and Histology

Cellular Imaging
13 microscopes: Miltenyi Blaze Light Sheet Ultra Microscope, Zeiss LSM 980 AiryScan2 Super Resolution System, Nikon super resolution/confocal system, three additional confocal systems (including multi-photon), bright field, fluorescence, FRET, laser TIRF, live cell imaging. Microscopes are integrated with image capture systems and advanced image analysis software.

Histology
Fixed/frozen sections, automated staining for H&E and IHC, laser capture, high resolution slide scanning (bright field and fluorescence), assistance with tissue acquisition, including TMAs

Structural Biology

Protein Analysis
Includes micro-ITC, microscale thermophoresis, Creoptix GCI, DSC, and Analytical Ultracentrifugation

Cryo-EM
Cryogenic electron microscopy with a Titan Krios (Gatan K3 DDD) and a Tecnai T12 (Eagle 4K CCD)

Flow Cytometry

Flow Cytometry
Core staff operate a BD FACSAria sorter with up to 16 colors, housed in a biosafety enclosure. Four analytical cytometers, including a Cytek Aurora spectral cytometer with five lasers and 64 detectors, and an Amnis imaging flow cytometer, are all equipped with plate loaders and available with staff assistance, or for independent use after training. The core also offers a 27-marker antibody panel for spectral profiling of the murine tumor immune microenvironment.

Genomics

Genomics and Spatial Transcriptomics
Next-gen sequencing and epigenomics services including library prep, sequencing (Element Biosciences AVITI24), single-cell sequencing (10X Genomics and Illumina PIPseq), spatial transcriptomics (Visium HD, GeoMx, AVITI24 Teton Cytoprofiling), and epigenomics (CUT&RUN, CUT&TAG, TIP-CHIP, ATAC-seq). STR cell line verification and shared analytical equipment.

Proteomics

Proteomics
Analysis from simple protein IDs to characterizing proteome-wide PTMs. Automated sample prep, advanced Thermo LC-MS systems include two Fusion Lumos Tribrids, Velos Elite, QExactive plus, and Quantiva.  Hardware and software for proteomics data analysis.

Bioinformatics

Bioinformatics
Informatics, statistical, and pathway analysis of large ‘omics datasets, data mining, systems biology, investigator training.  Dedicated HPC cluster and data storage, shared tools including Qiagen Omicsoft Suite, Ingenuity Pathways, NextBio/Illumina Correlation Engine, GeneGo Metacore
 

Functional Genomics

Functional Genomics
siRNA/shRNA/miRNA/cDNA/CRISPR libraries; automated high-throughput (HTP) DNA, viral, and cell libraries preparations; HTP assay development and library screening; hit validation follow-up; CRISPR-engineered cell line generation; large-scale production of exosomes and viral vectors (lentivirus, retrovirus, adenovirus, rAAV, VSV and sindbis virus).

Cancer Metabolism

Metabolism
Measurements of metabolic flux (GC-MS), major metabolites, and cellular respiration