Neural Cell Engineering and Imaging

Overview

The Neural Cell Engineering and Imaging Core (formerly known as the Cellular and Molecular Neuroimaging Core), supported by the Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience and the Rose F. Kennedy Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, combines state-of-the-art equipment and highly personalized service for microscopy-based studies of neural tissues. Technical support is provided to advise, train and assist Einstein investigators through all pertinent research aspects of neuroimaging, from experimental design to specimen preparation, data collection and analysis, and preparation of publication-quality figures. The staff welcomes investigators from all areas of biology and medicine interested in obtaining scientific expertise for structural analytical neuroscience studies.

Services

Tissue specimen preparation using equipment including microtome, vibratome, freezing microtome and cryostat
Neurolucida/StereoInvestigator microscope for 3D neurite tracing, cell counts and volume measurements
Programmable multi-time, multi-sample automated wide-field imaging station for higher throughput studies
Confocal microscopes including dual scanners, ultrafast imaging and spectral scanning for 5D capability
Multiphoton In Vivo microscope with two tunable lasers up to 1300nm plus a fixed 1040nm line, dual scanners for imaging and photomanipulation, six acquisition channels and electrophysiology set-up
Transmission electron microscopy, electron tomography and focused ion beam milling
Other equipment including laser microdissection and laser capture system, fluorescence plate reader with liquid handling, and Helios biolistics gene gun
State-of-the-art image processing and analysis software for complex morphometric studies