Services
Digital Pathology
Within the lab, we have two high-resolution digital slide scanners. Both offer high-throughput digitalisation of brightfield microscopy slides, z-stacking focusing and high-resolution image quality.
Furthermore, the most recent installation, the S60 Hamamatsu Nanozoomer, is able to scan up to nine fluorescent channels and large megaslides. These images can be used for analysis, in publications and conferences and can be shared, anonymously, with colleagues for collaboration. We will provide a Data Transfer Agreement (DTA) for sharing images and if you wish to access any images already stored, you can apply for approval via the Biorepository.
The images are securely archived on dedicated servers, which are supported by University of Glasgow IT department. They can be accessed by the NDPi viewer (free to download from Hamamatsu website) or through our own dedicated software analysis, Visiopharm.
Image Analysis
The Visiopharm software enables histopathology image analysis and allows AI and deep learning to quantify and analyse tissue for research. At the GTRF we can perform image analysis on stained slides and, in addition, we can create bespoke image analysis APPs which are tailored to your research needs.
Contact us, if you would like to know more about what we offer.
Tissue Microarray Construction (TMA)
The GTRF can produce bespoke TMAs for individual research needs or for general use where we act as custodian of the blocks and sections as required.
TMAs are constructed from approximately 250 individual cases which are retrieved from pathological archives and which have been ethically approved through the Biorepository. Using the 3DHISTECH TMA Grandmaster (the only one in Scotland), cores are removed from these "donor" blocks and placed into a "recipient" block, creating a new TMA block. This technique allows for multiple cases to be stained and analysed on one slide.
Histology Services
The GTRF also offers sectioning and staining of blocks.
We can carry out H&E staining on a PFM Medical Slide Stainer SS-30 which can perform H&E staining on multiple slides in under 20 minutes. Furthermore, we can perform IHC staining using a high-throughput Thermofisher autostainer. Antibodies can be optimized if not already worked-up; specific requirements can be discussed beforehand
Contact us to find out more.
DNA and RNA extractions
Through successful grants we have acquired a Promega Maxwell RSC48 for DNA and RNA extractions. We can support the sequencing pipeline to extract high quality DNA or RNA from a multitude of samples and quantify the DNA/RNA on our Qubit fluorometer.