Core Facilities

Explore the Schulich Core Facilities Roadmap

Learn about the vision, priorities, and actions guiding the enhancement and coordination of Schulich’s core research facilities.

[View the Core Facilities Roadmap]

 

Faculty Core Research Facilities (FCRF) within the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry include:

BioCORE

The BioCORE offers services in three well-established platforms including (i) synthetic biology and protein production; (ii) molecular identification, structure and interaction; and (iii) high-throughput molecular analysis.

  • For more information visit BioCORE

 

Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping

The Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping utilizes state-of-the-art 3T whole-body, 7T head and 31 cm 9.4T horizontal MR imaging systems to investigate in-vivo studies of brain structure and function. 

Centre for Translational Radiographic Imaging

The Centre for Translational Radiographic Imaging (CenTRI) utilizes state-of-the-art volumetric dual energy and dynamic CT Scan, weight-bearing cone-beam CT, Radiostereometric Analysis, Digital Angiography, and X-ray with Tomosynthesis capability.

ICES Western

ICES Western is a satellite site of the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) located in Toronto. ICES is an independent, non-profit organization, whose core business is to conduct research that contributes to the effectiveness, quality, equity and efficiency of health care and health services in Ontario. With the establishment of ICES Western, investigators and trainees who wish to pursue research aligning with the ICES mission now have the opportunity to access the large administrative data holdings held by ICES.

ImPaKT

The Imaging Pathogens for Knowledge Translation (ImPaKT) Facility is a one-of-a-kind facility combining PHAC certified containment level standards (CL2+ and CL3) with advanced in vivo imaging modalities. ImPaKT Facility features barrier-enclosed imaging scanners and instrumentation which will allow researchers to develop tools and methods to better understand the progression of infectious diseases, identify efficacious antimicrobial agents, develop diagnostic reagents to characterize hidden reservoirs of pathogens, and for the early and accurate detection of infections.

London Regional Flow Cytometry Facility

The LR-FCF provides technical and physical support for scientists wishing to utilize flow cytometry analysis and or cell sorting as part of their research. Users are able to utilize the LR-FCF for a wide variety of flow cytometry techniques, including cell sorting, immunophenotyping, cell cycle analysis, cell proliferation, gene transfer (efficacy and tracking), cell death (i.e. apoptosis), cell kinetics, activation states, redox states, chromosome analysis, and cytokine detection among others.

London Regional Genomics Centre

The facility provides state-of-the-art services on a fee-for-service/cost recovery basis and offers Next Generation Sequencing on the Illumina MiSeq and NextSeq platforms. Single cell sequencing and Spatial Transcriptomics is available on the 10x Genomics platform. We also offer Sanger sequencing, fragment analysis and qPCR. Data analysis and software training services are also available.

Molecular Imaging core facility

The Molecular Imaging Facility hosts a suite of conventional and super-resolution microscopes designed for imaging single molecules and molcular events in living cells and fixed tissues, plus a cryostat for tissue preparation. The Molecular Imaging Facility also provides data analysis and training services.

Molecular Pathology and Spatial Omics Core

The Molecular Pathology and Spatial Omics Core Facility entails a full spectrum of state-of-art histopathology equipment and expertise. The facility enables investigators to study fresh, frozen, or paraffin-processed tissues and analyze sections using various histological stains and molecular probes. In addition, micro-isolation of discrete cells within tissue sections can be accomplished using laser capture microscopy.

MouseTRAP Facility

MouseTRAP provides Western University and the external research community with access to equipment, software and services for the performance of behavioral experiments in mouse models.

Translational Imaging Research Facility

The 3T MRI Core Facility is a unique regional resource for state-of-the-art evaluation using a variety of MRI techniques in a research setting. The Facility is used primarily for in-vivo studies of human and animal structure and function in the areas of respiratory, cardiovascular, orthopedic and neuro.  The HeliSpin™ core facility processes helium-3, an investigational tracer gas used for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the lungs which is not possible with conventional (proton) MR imaging.

Vascular, Intra VITAL, MulTiphoton, and Advanced AnaLytics (VITAL) Facility

The VITAL Facility provides microvascular and vascular scientists with the advanced technologies necessary to study all aspects of the circulation, including its structure and delivery of nutritive blood flow, in live animals or in ex vivo preparations and immunohistochemistry.

Other research resources available to researchers within the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry include:

Brain Tumour Tissue Bank

Supplies brain tumour tissues to researchers across Canada and all over the world.

CSTAR (Canadian Surgical Technologies and Advanced Robotics)

CSTAR provides access to world-class acute and chronic laboratory facilities that support preclinical testing and validation of emergent medical device technologies.

Cyclotron and PET Radiochemistry

The Nordal Cyclotron & PET Radiochemistry Facility is used to produce positron-emitting radiopharmaceuticals (PERs). PERs are injected into patients undergoing a positron emission tomography (PET) scan. The half-life of the radioactive isotopes in PERs is short, which necessitates generating them with a cyclotron that is in close proximity to the clinic where they are used.

Dale E. Creighton Brain & BioBank

The mission of the Dale E. Creighton Brain & BioBank (DECBB) for Neurodegenerative Dementias & Concussion is to enable research on the causes and potential treatments for neurodegenerative dementias and concussion. The DECBB coordinates brain donation, stores brain tissue, blood and CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) samples from patient donors, curates these high quality samples along with clinical data, and facilitates the distribution and sharing of these samples and data to qualified researchers locally and globally.

 

Imaging Facilities at the Lawson Health Research Institute

Imaging facilities at Lawson include:

  • PET/MR Imaging
  • 2 Tesla MRI/MRS
  • 3 Tesla MRI/MRS
  • Bioelectromagnetics Facilities
  • Optical Imaging
  • Nuclear Medicine
  • 1.5 Tesla MRI

 

Lawson Clinical Research Services

Lawson Clinical Research Services provides the expertise and facilities to manage the clinical, technical and administrative aspects of both investigator and industry-sponsored research. The facility offers clients the opportunity to contract services, in whole or in part, required to successfully conduct clinical research.

Ontario Tumour Bank

London Health Sciences Centre is one of four sites for the Ontario Tumour Bank, a province-wide biorepository and data bank focused on collection of tumour-related human biospecimens. It provides academic and industry cancer researchers with a diverse selection of high quality tumour-related specimens and data obtained directly by dedicated tumour bank staff, who follow a stringent set of procedures and ethical guidelines.

Preclinical Imaging Research Centre

The Preclinical Imaging Research Centre is furnished with state-of-the-art non-invasive small animal imaging equipment complete with a dedicated animal surgery and preparation room. This facility was designed specifically to give investigators the ability to exploit the best in specialized small animal imaging technology to further basic and applied research.

London Regional Transgenic and Gene Targeting Facility

The TGT Facility provides services including:purification of DNA fragments for microinjection; generation of founder transgenic mice; gene targeting services; embryo cryopreservation and rederivation by embryo transfer.