Expertise
Imaging Platforms
Keywords - Light Microscopy: Live cell imaging | Confocal microscopy | Widefield microscopy
Other: Multi-well Plate Imaging
We have 4 High Content imaging systems optimised for multi-well plate imaging: Yokogawa CV7000, GE InCell2200, Molecular Devices IXM XLS, and Revvity Operetta CLS. Functionality includes fluorescence imaging (widefield and confocal); DIC, Phase-Contrast and Brightfield imaging; 2D, 3D, extended focus and deconvolution; hardware and software autofocus. Microscopes are equipped with a range of objective lenses from 4-60X magnification, with a range of low NA and high NA (0.3-0.95).
Applications
Keywords - Biological: Cell Biology | Developmental Biology | C.elegans | Microbiology | Neurobiology | Immunobiology
Other: High Content analysis (phenotypic profiling approaches including Cell Painting), high throughput screening
We provide assay services to our collaborators. This can be running prepared samples on our microscopes, or the performance of complete projects from assay development to full drug (or other perturbation) screening projects including reporting of assay data. High throughout screening is supported by our robotic automation platform (HighRes Biosolutions).
Sample Preparations
Keywords - Biological: Immunofluorescence | Immunolabelling | Live cell
Other: Tissue Culture facilities, liquid handling including: acoustic compound dispensing (Beckman Echo), plate washers, high speed and highly accurate cell and reagent dispensers
Our facilities, including a dedicated Tissue Culture suite, enable us to perform the full assay process. Our liquid handling devices, incorporated into our robotic automation platform, enable robust screening in 384 well plates. These include: Beckman Echo 550 for highly accurate, nl volume compound dosing by acoustic liquid transfer; Agilent 405LS and 406FX plate washers; Formulatrix Tempest reagent dispensers; Multidrop Combi cell or reagent dispensers; and an Agilent Bravo robotic pipette-based liquid handling platform. An incorporated centrifuge and plate shaker facilitate high throughput suspension cell assays.
Data Analysis
Keywords - Software: ImageJ | Fiji
Other: CellProfiler, Python, R, Jupyter hub, OMERO Plus
The NPSC has enterprise-level informatics in place to support data-intensive image/flow-based screening, hit picking and confirmation by dose-response, and high content analysis. Images are accessed utilising OMERO Plus, an image database which also manages the processing of image data. Our image analysis is performed utilising open-source tools (CellProfiler and Python), which perform the required image segmentation and quantitative measurement to facilitate single parameter or multi-parametric assays. Data analysis is performed on NPSC's Jupyter hub, where Python or R scripts perform: phenotypic fingerprinting, machine learning, data analysis, data reduction, visualisation, and statistical analysis.
Shared Access
Our staff are experienced assay development and screening scientists, and we welcome projects from academic institutions or industrial partners. We provide training for self-service usage of our equipment for frequent users of the facility.
Funding Overview
Initial funding for the NPSC was provided by a capital investment from SULSA and the Scottish Funding Council. The NPSC receives project-related funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and previously from IMI (European Lead Factory). We are additionally supported through usage charges for our equipment and assay services.