The Microscopy and Flow Cytometry Core based in the Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences Department at USC provides services to the COBRE investigators. These services include training, advice on study design, in particular for the analysis of cellular drug effects, and assistance with the instrumentation usage, both at the core and at other USC facilities (in particular at the School of Medicine). The available equipment includes: Carl Zeiss LSM700 Laser scanning confocal microscope with 4 lasers functioning from 405-639 nm, equipped for live cell imaging (with environmental chamber), standard point scanning, 3D reconstruction, FRAP, FRET, time lapse, and tile/stitching. A Leica Microsystems ASMDW fluorescence microscope is optimized for live cell imaging with temperature and C02 control. There are 2 Leica Microsystems DM IRE2 fluorescent microscopes which are motorized for z-stack acquisition, one of which has an environmental chamber. The Olympus 1X81 fluorescence microscope with workstation running Metamorph software is for routine fluorescence imaging and deconvolution of wide field fluorescence images. There are 3 Carl Zeiss Axiovert 200 microscopes and an Olympus upright BX41 microscope, each with a color camera. All microscopes are in dedicated rooms or areas ofthe laboratory and are on vibration isolation tables. Flow cytometric equipment includes the BD FACS ARIA for cell sorting, BD LSRll for multicolor cell analysis, with a 96-well plate loader, and Beekman Coulter FC500 flow cytometer. Users may operate the microscopes and one ofthe flow cytometers independently, after training by the co-directors. Many standard protocols have been established for IHC and IF analysis of cells and tissues, and for the analysis of cell growth, cell death and cell cycle progression. Dr. Schools and Lim provide advice on the choice of instruments and experimental protocols. The above equipment is on several different floors ofthe same building;planned renovation will consolidate all the core equipment into three rooms on one floor
): Microscopy and flow cytometry are essential techniques for the analysis of the effects of drugs and drug targets. The Microscopy and Flow Cytometry facility will assist COBRE investigators with study design and data analysis of projects requiring advanced microscopy and flow cytometry, train the investigators in the use of microscopic and flow cytometric equipment and carry out microscopic and flow cytometric analysis, in support ofthe COBRE projects.
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