Histology and Imaging Core – Equipment

Access to equipment

Please request training on how to operate the equipment before scheduling. To schedule equipment use, sign up through the E-Calendar on the NIDA/IRP SCIC homepage (link: https://bis.nida.nih.gov/home/ Requires NIDA IRP Network Access). For rescheduling or cancellations, please email shiliang.zhang@nih.gov.

Olympus VS200 Scanner

Location: 08A314A

Features:

• Provides reliable images for quantitative data analysis and improves workflow efficiency.
• Scans standard histology slides and fluorescently labeled slides.
• Supports brightfield, fluorescence, darkfield, phase contrast, and polarization imaging.
• Objectives: 2x, 4x, 10x, 20x, 40x, 60x oil lens with accurate autofocus.
• Scans up to 210 slides in a batch with robotic loader.
• Automatic oil dispenser for high magnification.
• Flexible batch scan mode allows different observation methods per slide.

Miltenyi Biotec UltraMicroscope Blaze

Location: 08A314A

Features:

• Advanced light sheet optics ensure excellent data quality.
• Fully automated system for imaging large or multiple cleared samples at subcellular resolution.
• Standard chamber for multiple rodent organs or organoids.
• XXL chamber accommodates very large samples including whole adult mouse/rat models.

Keyence BZ-X710 Microscope

Location: 08A314.06

• Collects mosaic images using 2x, 4x, 10x, 20x, 40x, 60x objectives.
• Supports up to 4 fluorophores simultaneously.
• Images up to 3 slides at a time with excellent stitching and autofocus.

Olympus MVX710 Microscope

Location: 08A314A

• Dissection-style stereoscopic microscope ideal for injection site documentation.
• Objectives: 63x and 2x with 0.63x–6.3x secondary adjustments.
• Supports detection.

Keyence BZ-X720 Microscope

Location: 08A314.06

Features:

• Collects mosaic images using 2x, 4x, 10x, 20x, 40x, 60x objectives.
• Supports up to 4 fluorophores simultaneously.
• Images up to 3 slides at a time with excellent stitching and autofocus.

Olympus MVX10 Microscope

Location: 08A314A

Features:

• Dissection-style stereoscopic microscope ideal for injection site documentation.
• Objectives: 63x and 2x with 0.63x–6.3x secondary adjustments.
• Supports detection of up to 3 fluorophores including DAPI, GFP, FITC, tdTomato, CY5, and others.

Leica 3050S Cryostats

Leica 3050S Cryostat-1 – Location: 08A314.02

Leica 3050S Cryostat-2 – Location: 08A314.04

Features:

• Designed for sectioning samples at low temperature.
• Produces sections ranging from 5–50 μm thickness.

Leica Vibratome VS1000T

Location: 08A314.06

Features:

• Designed for sectioning fixed tissue specimens at room temperature.
• Produces sections ranging from 30–250 μm thickness.
• Consistently generates thin sections, including difficult non-homogeneous specimens.

Data Analysis Workstations

Features:

• The Histology and Imaging Core provides two computers for open use by NIDA IRP researchers.
• Computer 1 – VS Export (Location: 08A205.09).
• Computer 2 – Imaris, Dragonfly (Location: 08A205.10).