The Neuro-Models Facility (NMF) was established in 2010 to facilitate scientific research of nervous system function and to enhance the development and testing of novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of nervous system disorders. The NMF provides resource capacity typically unavailable or impractical in an individual laboratory. There are three major areas of specialization in the facility:
1. Surgical approaches to model production and assessment. 2. Behavior testing of sensorimotor functions. 3. In vivo electrophysiological recording (EEG, EMG, ERP). Procedures are intended for rodents (mice and rats). New and/or modified procedures can be developed based on client interests.

The Whole Brain Microscopy Facility (WBMF) in the UT Southwestern Department of Neurology was established in 2014 and is supported by the Texas Institute for Brain Injury and Repair (TIBIR). The facility is particularly well-suited to advance the study of traumatic brain injury as well as other neurological and psychiatric disorders by utilizing cutting-edge microscopy strategies to evaluate neuropathology across micro-, meso-, and macro-scales of inquiry. These techniques enable the tracing of neuronal projections from injured sites to their long-range targets, allowing crucial and previously unfeasible studies into the altered connections established by neurons following brain injury.

We provide access to several high-throughput microscopes for UT Southwestern and external researchers. WBMF houses two TissueVision TissueCyte 1000 instruments for the purpose of generating high-resolution, 3D renderings of entire rodent brains as well as two slide scanning microscopes (Hamamatsu Nanozoomer and Zeiss Axioscan.Z1) for the purpose of creating digital images of whole slides. We have dedicated computational science staff to perform automated quantitative image analysis at the whole brain or whole slide level. We also offer cryosectioning, general histological staining such as H&E, cresyl violet, or Luxol Fast Blue, and immunostaining.

We offer qualitative and quantitative MS Proteomics services using high-performance instrumentation and state-of-the-art data analysis platforms.

The UTSW Rodent Behavior Core can assist investigators in all aspects of rodent behavioral testing including the design and execution as well as the data analysis and interpretation. The core facility is equipped to perform a broad battery of behavioral tests to thoroughly phenotype overall motor and sensory function of rats and mice as well as phenotype specific behaviors that are of interest to the investigators (learning and memory, motor function, place/fear conditioning, pain/analgesia, and anxiety-related behaviors).