shared services for life-science

General information

EMBL Barcelona will explore how tissues and organs function and develop, in health and disease. Alongside cutting-edge research, the site will house state-of-the-art imaging facilities, enabling scientists worldwide to access microscopy and modelling technologies specifically designed for studying tissues. Researchers in the Unit will be investigating questions such as "How do molecular and genetic networks ultimately build, regulate and control tissues and organs?", and "How do changes in genes percolate through cells, tissues and organs to result in disease?" The site is being established in the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB), one of the largest infrastructures in Southern Europe dedicated to translational research. In this highly collaborative, interdisciplinary and international environment, EMBL researchers will benefit from a partnership with the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) and opportunities for collaboration with other pioneering research institutes, both on campus and in the region.

Expertise

Facility members are experts in both Optical Projection Tomography (OPT) and Selective Plane Illumination Microscopy (SPIM). These techniques, along with optical clearing protocols, allow us to generate 3D image data sets of fluorescent (e.g. antibody labelled) and non-fluorescent (e.g. in situ hybridizations) markers. Typical samples consist of soft biological tissue up to approx. 10mm diameter.  

Technologies offered for the Open Call

- Optical Projection Tomography (OPT)
- Selective Plane Illumination Microscopy (SPIM)

Additional resources offered for the Open Call

- Mounting and optical clearing of samples
- Assistance in imaging samples
- Reconstruction of tomographic scans
- Advice on sample prepartion (labelling, sample storage)

Access modalities

Samples can be brought by the user for imaging together with facility members.

Scientific and technical requirements

Initial discussions must indicated that the required experiments are feasible with our facilities. Sufficient equipment capacity and staff availability are prerequisites for the times of the required experiments. Ethical approvals may be required to work with some types of samples.

Contacts

Scientific contact: Jim Swoger
Technical contact: Jim Swoger

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