Cell imaging

Cell Imaging is one of the core resources available at Kids Research. Through this resource, researchers have access to a suite of optical microscopes and image analysis technology within Kids Research and the Westmead Research Hub Cell Imaging Facility.

Using general and advanced instruments, our researchers can obtain detailed information of structures down to 200nm in size (5000x smaller than a millimetre) in both fixed tissues and living cells, furthering our understanding of the cellular changes associated with various diseases. The Westmead Research Hub Electron Microscopy Core Facility at Westmead Hospital takes our research well into the nanoscale and beyond, allowing fine details of subcellular structures to be observed. The computer-generated images provided by these facilities advance medical research by opening new avenues for the treatment of childhood diseases.

The Kids Research microscopy team of Dr Laurence Cantrill and Dr Dongwei Wang facilitate access to cell imaging resources for researchers across the Westmead Research Hub. Dr Cantrill looks after optical microscopy, and provides training and support to scientists at Kids Research and the Westmead Research Hub for a wide range of light and fluorescence techniques. Dr Wang provides support for electron microscopy at Kids Research, working in conjunction with the Westmead Research Hub Electron Microscopy Core Facility.

Available equipment include:

Correlative Light and Electron Microscopy (CLEM) Suite

The CLEM combines fluorescence and electron microscopy imaging to enable researchers to see live cells undergoing dynamic changes in response to real-time experimental conditions, followed by observation of detailed molecular-level information about key structures and processes.

Supporters: Cancer Institute NSW, the University of Sydney, Perpetual Foundation, Ian Potter Foundation, Ramaciotti Foundations.

Laser Capture Microdissection Microscope

The Laser Capture Microdissection (LCM) system enables precise and rapid molecular characterisation of differences between adjacent normal and diseased tissues and the ability to directly explore what goes wrong at a genetic level during disease development.

Supporters: Wellcome Trust (2003), ACMA in association with The Kids’ Cancer Project (2012)

Future developments: Super-resolution microscopy

This technology will advance our research by allowing observation of single proteins, and their relationship to each other, within living cells. The more detailed understanding of how these basic building blocks of life work in both normal and abnormal conditions will assist the development of new preventative strategies and treatments.

Supporters: Ian Potter Foundation

Other imaging equipment

Kids Research has a range of brightfield and general fluorescence microscopes for our researchers to use, as well as image analysis software for processing and interpreting data.