Facility Details

The Molecular Pathology Core provides researchers in the Superfund Research Program with equipment and technical expertise necessary for the evaluation of molecular and morphological changes in cells, tissues, and organs following exposure to complex environmental contaminants. The Core houses state-of-the-art equipment, including an automated tissue processor, a paraffin embedding center, two automated microtomes, a cryostat, a vibratome for soft-tissue sectioning, a multiheaded light microscope with projection capabilities, a system for laser capture microdissection, and a slide scanner with analysis software for the identification and quantification of morphological structures. The Molecular Pathology Core is staffed by a director, a histologist and a histotechnician, who have expertise in histopathological and immunocytochemial methods, including fixation, dehydration, embedding, sectioning, histological staining, immunolabeling, high-resolution imaging, and quantitative image analysis. Facility staff provides all-inclusive services in sample preparation, offers assistance in imaging and image analysis and provides consultation for ongoing or future research projects. In addition, the core established an extensive training program for students and investigators who use the centrally available equipment.