About us

The ONPRC Integrated Pathology Core (IPC), directed by Oleg Varlamov, M.D. Ph.D., provides investigators with state-of-the-art histology and light microscopy imaging and analysis through extensive expertise, services, data analysis, and access to advanced equipment. The core provides routine processing and sectioning of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded and frozen tissues, special histological stains, next-generation RNAscope/DNAscope in situ hybridization, multiplex immunohistochemistry, digital whole-slide scanning, multi-spectral confocal microscopy, and quantitative image analysis. Imaging and microscopy capabilities include a Leica Stellaris8 spectral confocal (with a white light laser - up to 8 excitation lines from 350 to 790 nm, Acousto-Optical Beam Splitter, Image Navigator module for capturing large tissue areas, resonant scanner, four HyD S detectors, and an Okolab CO₂ humidity incubator with a stage top incubator with temperature and gas control for live-cell imaging), a Leica Aperio AT2 high-capacity brightfield whole slide scanner, an Olympus VS120 fluorescence (up to 5 channels; 405, 488, 561, 633, and 750 nm) and brightfield whole slide scanner, and a Keyence BZ-X810 fluorescence microscope. Image analysis is supported by the HALO Image Analysis suite, an advanced quantitative image analysis package that supports unique tissue-specific and disease-specific applications. CellSens (Olympus Bioimaging) and ImageJ are available for basic image analysis. Core personnel are available at every stage of histology and microscopy-based experiments, from planning and training to troubleshooting and quality control.