Microscopy Core Facility

Mission Statement

The mission of the Microscopy Core Facility (MCF) is to support the research and clinical communities by providing imaging services, training, and access to a wide range of microscopes.  Our confocal microscope provides the capability for examining and evaluating biological specimens as small as 200 nanometers in size, while our electron microscopy processing services facilitate obtaining micrographs of samples on an ultrastructural level.  Free consulting is available to help faculty and students learn how microscopy can be used to gather detailed information about the structure, function, and phenotype of cells and tissues.  We also offer technical advice to optimize the collection, analysis, and presentation of visual data.

Location

The Microscopy Core Facility (MCF) is located in Building 119 in the James H. Quillen College of Medicine on the VA campus of East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN.  We offer the use of a state-of-the-art Leica TCS SP8 single point scanning confocal microscope, an Olympus SZ61 TR stereomicroscope, a Leica MZ16 FA fluorescence stereomicroscope, and two stand-alone image analysis workstation computers.  The stand-alone computers are loaded with the latest Leica LAS-X confocal software and the complete Imaris v8.4 image analysis software package that allows the user to obtain detailed statistical data from their confocal images. ImageJ (NIH) is also loaded on both computers.  We also offer electron microscopy tissue and sample preparation for those wishing to obtain transmission electron micrographs of their research work.  Users are encouraged to contact the University of Tennessee’s JIAM Microscopy Center in Knoxville, TN for assistance in obtaining analysis of their prepared samples and final photos of their work.