Research / Core Facilities

College of Medicine Research Core Facilities

The UC College of Medicine houses a number of research core facilities designated as core service centers. These facilities exist within multiple departments but are collectively supported by the College of Medicine, Office of Research through the Associate Dean for Research Core Facilities: Ken Greis, PhD. (ken.greis@uc.edu; Tel: 515-558-7012).

The service center designation signifies that the rates charged by each of these facilities have been reviewed and approved by the UC government cost compliance office, thus the service fees can be cross-charged to federal grants and contracts. Details related to the services offered and the internal rates for each of the cores are provided below. Since these rates are substantially subsidized by the University, external investigators should contact individual core directors to get a rate quote.

Resources to offset some of the cost of the core services may be available through a variety of centers and institutes across UC depending on an investigator’s affiliation. Information related to some of those opportunities and the website links are provided below:

Preclinical Imaging Core (PIC)

The Core was established to provide non-invasive multimodal imaging capabilities optimized for rodent imaging to the UC research community. The facility specializes in micro-CT and micro-PET/SPECT for longitudinal research projects in small animal models, but also provides bioluminescence, fluorescence and planar x-ray imaging capabilites. A XenX cabinet irradiator is available for cell, focal, and whole-rodent irradiation. The Core actively supports research in cancer and other progressive diseases, and a variety of surgical and bioengineering projects. 


Location and Hours:
Vontz Center Rm 0330 (basement- restricted access - call lab 558-7930)
M-F  8:30am-5pm; or as arranged

Announcement  Sept 2018
Bioluminescence and Fluorescence imaging services are now available to PIs within the UC-COM LAMS mouse facilities – mice housed in the LAMS Vontz and MSB facilities remain behind the barrier for their imaging sessions and are returned to their original rooms. Please contact the lab for further information. 
 
Announcement Jan 2019
A XenX closed cabinet x-ray irradiator with a rotational gantry, designed for irradiation of cells and rodents is now available.  Please contact the lab or Michael Lamba (584-9028, michael.lamba@uc.edu) for further information.
 

Grant Information

Specific instrumentation and facilities information for your grant submission will be supplied by the core personnel.  Please contact the lab via email (vcil@uc.edu) at least two weeks before the planned submission date to ensure the information is aligned appropriately with your grant needs.

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ServiceCost
PET/CT/SPECT imaging
 $225 per hour
Optical imaging (BLI, FLR) and x-ray
 $125 per hour (Vontz); $135 per hour (MSB)
Irradiations
 $60 per hour + therapy physics support
Image and Data post-processing
 $80 per hour
Investigator self processing
 $30 per hour
Radiopharmaceuticals and specialized contrast agents
 PASS-THROUGH CHARGE
micro-CT ex-vivo embryo

rat embryo soaked in Lugol's

Rat PET CT

F-18 FDG PET-CT for monitoring glioma treatment response. 10 mins PET acquisition at 30 mins post injection, following CT scan

micro-CT in-vivo gated lung scan

Respiratory-gated CT for Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis (PAP) Mouse under isoflurane.

X ray

Bone Densitometry

Bioluminescence (BLI) imaging

Tumor imaging (breast cancer model) 20min acquisition following IP luciferin injection

Fluorescence (FLR) imaging

Tumor imaging using antibody with Alexa-647 fluorescent label. 30sec acquisition at 24hr after FLR injection.

Irradiation of cell plates

Focal Irradiation - example set-up

Inveon PET/SPECT/CT

Tri-modal micro-imaging system with LSO-based positron emission tomography (micro-PET), dual-head single photon emission computed tomography (micro-SPECT), and cone-beam computerized tomography (micro-CT) sub-systems.
a) Bore size = 12 cm; max FOV = 10cm.

Integrated Biovet monitoring system: respiratory, EKG, temperature control; heating pad on pallet
Isoflurane anesthesia

Siemens

Bruker multi-spectral FX PRO

Bioluminescence, fluorescence, x-ray, and optical imaging in small animals.

a) 20 - 200 mm FOV (images up to 5 mice simultaneously)
b) warm-air chamber with isoflurane anesthesia manifolds
c) excitation filters: 390nm to 770nm in 20nm steps 
d) emission filters: 535nm, 600 nm, 700nm, 750nm, 790nm, 830nm
 

Bruker

Xen-X Irradiator

Closed cabinet x-ray irradiator with a rotational gantry, designed for irradiation of cells and rodents. Provides both whole-body irradiation for myelosuppression, and focal irradiation similar to current clinical radiotherapy approaches.  A portal imaging camera provides verification of the beam localization.
 

  • (https://xstrahl.com/life-science-systems/xenx/)
  • 50 – 220 kV x-rays
  • Mounted on isocentric arm with 35 cm source-to-isocenter distance
  • 3 mm round to 10 cm x 10 cm fields at standard distance, larger at extended distances
  • Point dose calculator
  • 0.69 mm Cu HVL treatment x-rays

X-Strahl

What is the lab phone number?

513 558 7930

How do I arrange to transfer my animals for imaging?

All live animal imaging is conducted under the Core's IACUC protocol.
A "Temporary Transfer" must be submitted through UC LAMS to protocol Lemen #10-01-13-01.  Please contact the lab for details and assistance.

How do I schedule imaging time?

Please call the lab - 558-7930 - for available times and to plan for longitudinal imaging timepoints.

Which animals may be imaged in the lab?

All core equipment is optimized for imaging rodents - mice and rats. 
The core is a Specific Pathogen Free facility. Animals within UC facilities may be imaged or irradiated here. For transfers from outside facilites, please contact the lab to confirm if they will be accepted.  

Please notify the facility of assisted publications and grants. Acknowledgement of our services helps to ensure the continuation of the imaging core services.

Ravi N. Samy; Brian R. Earl; Noga Lipschitz; Ivy Schweinzger; Mark Currier; Timothy Cripe, "Engineered Oncolytic Virus for the Treatment of Cholesteatoma: A Pilot in vivo Study" Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology, 4: October 2019: 532-542

Sumit Murab, Stacey M.S. Gruber, Chia-Ying James Lin, Patrick Whitlock, "Elucidation of bio-inspired hydroxyapatie crystallization on oxygen-plasma modified 3D printed poly-caprolactone scaffolds", Materials Science & Engineering C 109 (2020) 110529

Location

Cincinnati

Hours

M-F 8:30am-5pm; or as arranged

Contact Information

Contact Us

University of Cincinnati
College of Medicine

CARE/Crawley Building
Suite E-870
3230 Eden Avenue
PO Box 670555
Cincinnati, OH 45267-0555

Mail Location: 0555
Phone: 513-558-7333
Fax: 513-558-3512
Email: College of Medicine