The Structural Biology Platform at the Université de Montréal offers access to several state-of-the-art scientific instruments intended to answer structural biological questions for the scientific community.

The platform houses a variety of advanced instruments. It features high-field NMR spectrometers (500, 600, and 700 MHz) with Bruker NEO consoles, ideal for studying protein interactions, RNA-small molecule screening, biomolecular assignments, and structure calculations. The platform also supports biological small-angle X-ray scattering (BioSAXS) with a liquid-metal-jet X-ray source for rapid macromolecular analysis. Additional tools include a TwoMP mass photometer for single-molecule mass measurements, a SEC-MALS system for molar mass determination, an isothermal titration calorimeter (ITC), and robotics for crystal tray preparation. A bioinformatics room equipped with Linux computers is available for data analysis.

Highly qualified personnel offer training and support to ensure high-quality data acquisition and analysis. Research consultation and turn-key services are available upon request.

Flow cytometry is a technique allowing the analysis of the physical and functional characteristics of each cell contained in a cell suspension. Thus, it is possible to evaluate the proportions of different cell subpopulations present in a cell suspension at very high speed (several thousand cells per second). This technique allows precise and rapid measurement of parameters such as the size of the cells, their nature, their DNA content as well as the expression of surface or even intracellular molecules. These molecules are detected using fluorescent probes which are excited by lasers.

Today, the new generations of devices have up to 7 lasers which make it possible to measure more than 40 different parameters. Some devices sort cells based on these parameters and isolate them into pure cell subpopulations for further analysis or to put them in culture to study their functions.

Individual mandatory training is necessary to access our facility. The ARIA III cell sorter as well as the SONY SH800 are equipped with a negative pressure hood allowing the sorting of potentially infectious samples including human cells from healthy donors.

Optical and Fluorescence microscopy facility. From regular brightfield microscopes to high performence LSM900- Airyscan confocal microscope.
Also Image Analysis with Imaris Full Spectrum and ClearDeconvolution software.

Bio-Imaging platform offering a wide diversity of instruments and applications coupled to dedicated support and expertise in microscopy.