An NIH-designated Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE)

Multiscale Assessments Research Core (DCMR Research Core)

Histology Lab

Charles Riley, AS, BS, HTL (ASCP)

Charles graduated from Delaware Technical Community College in May 2014 with his associates degree in Histotechnology. Obtained ASCP HT board certification two weeks after graduating. Charles worked at Doctors Pathology services from July 2014 until April of 2021. During his tenure there, Charles became a certified trained MOHS technician, managed the Anatomic pathology division (histology and grossing departments), and obtained his Bachelor’s degree from Wilmington University in Allied Health Management. Charles became ASCP HTL certified in 2017. Charles has advanced experience with training new users, tissue processing techniques, microtomy, cryotomy, and H&E and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining and troubleshooting.

Lori May

Facilities and Resources:

The Histology Laboratory is located at the Delaware Biotechnology Park, 15 Innovation Way, in rms 117K and 117Z.  The facility is a full-service histology laboratory with equipment to perform tissue processing, paraffin embedding, microtomy and cryotomy, automated and manual staining, automated and manual immunohistochemistry and In Situ hybridization.  Various equipment, including microtomes and cryostat, are available for training.  The facility also houses microscopes for brightfield, color brightfield and fluorescence imaging.  The histology laboratory is managed by the DCMR histotechnologist.  

Services offered:

  • Analysis assistance
  • Assay/Protocol Development
  • Consultation/Training
  • Equipment education
  • Histology techniques education
  • Project development
  • Frozen section microtomy
  • H&E staining
  • IHC testing (manual)
  • IHC testing (automatic)
  • Special stain studies (automatic)
  • Sample processing
  • Slide coverslipping
  • Special stain studies (manual)
  • Tissue embedding (paraffin)
  • Tissue Microtomy (paraffin)
  • Tissue processing

Coming soon:

  • Tissue embedding (resin)
  • Tissue Microtomy (resin)

Equipment:

Avantik QS12 Cryostat

The Avantik QS12 Cryostat provides the following features:

  • Touch interface for control of all cryostat functions
  • Unique “dovetail” bladeholder base design to provide enhanced stability and prevent lateral movement or vibration
  • Fully adjustable, extra-wide anti-roll glass
  • Automatic specimen retraction
  • Precise trim thickness, section thickness and sectioning depth measurements
  • Memory function allowing the operator to record the last position of the specimen relative to the blade before removing it. The specimen can be automatically returned to the same position if additional sectioning is required.

Location: 15 Innovation Way 117Z

Contact person: Charles Riley

ESPO Thermal Transfer Slide Printer

The ESPO Thermal Transfer Slide Printer provides direct labeling to slide, creating a more efficient work flow and minimizing errors.

The system features include:

  • Fully integrated color touch-screen display
  • Two 100 slide cartridges
  • Single-slide front loading
  • Barcode capabilities
  • Solvent resistant: water, alcohol, xylene

Slide Compatibility

  • Print speed: 3 seconds per slide, 18 slides per minute
  • Print direction (in degrees): 0, 90, 180, 270
  • Slide size: 25mmx75mmx1mm; 26mmx76mmx1mm
  • Frost size: 15mm, 20mm, 25mm

Location: 15 Innovation Way 117Z

Contact person: Charles Riley

HistoDream Embedding Workstation

The Milestone HistoDream Embedding Workstation is composed of 3 separate units – the dispensing module, thermal module and cold embedding module.  The Dispensing module is compatible with all cassette types and has 2 built-in paraffin trimmers, heated forcep wells and programmable heating.  The Thermal module can store up to 400 molds and provides programmable heating.  The Cold Embedding module provides even temperature distribution over the entire cooling surface, an can operate in the temperature range of 0 to -12°C.

The HistoDream Embedding Workstation is used for the following operations:

  • Dissolve solid wax for specimen embedding and to keep it melted at the required temperature
  • Fill the molds where the tissue specimens have been placed with wax
  • Heat and keep the temperatures of the moldes and tweezers

Location: 15 Innovation Way 117Z

Contact person: Charles Riley

Invitrogen EVOS M7000

EVOS M7000

The Invitrogen EVOS M7000 is a high-performance, fully automated, inverted, multi-channel fluorescence and transmitted light imaging system.  The system is designed for basic image acquisition or automated routines for time-lapse live cell imaging, area scanning in time lapse, Z-stack, tiling and stitching.

Features:

  • 4, 10 and 20X objectives

  • LED cubes for DAPI, GFP, RFP and Cy5

  • Image analysis capabilities for cell segmentation and quantification

Location: 15 Innovation Way 117K

Contact person: Charles Riley, Faysal Haque, Dr. Mary Boggs

IsoMet Low Speed Saw

The IsoMet Low Speed Saw is designed for cutting of various types of materials with minimal deformation. The low speed cutter is targeted for delicates parts by only using gravity fed force.

Features:

  • Gravity fed cutting force to reduce deformation of delicate samples
  • Cut speeds of 0-300 RPM
  • Capable of cutting a variety of materials including biomaterials.
  • Capable of cutting ±5μm precision via a manual micrometer

Location: 15 Innovation Way 117Z

Contact person: Charles Riley

Leica ASP6025 S Tissue Processor

Leica Tissue ProcessorThe Leica ASP6025 S Tissue Processor provides end-users with optimal tissue processing speed and quality.

Features:

  • Advanced magnetic stirrer technology to optimize paraffin infiltration performance

  • Programable

  • Pre-installed validated protocols

  • Auto-rotation for reagent bottle exchange

Location: 15 Innovation Way 117Z

Contact person: Charles Riley

Leica RM2125 Microtome

The Leica RM2125 Microtome is a manual microtome that can provide sectioning thickness of 0.5-60μm and trimming thickness of 10 or 50μm

Location: 15 Innovation Way 117Z

Contact person: Charles Riley

Leica RM2155 Microtome

The Leica RM2155 is a reliable rotary microtome designed for fully motorized sectioning of both paraffin and resin-embedded specimens. Offering a broad application spectrum in histology laboratories, the RM2155 also has applications in industrial materials and quality control. The Leica microtome’s two-in-one design concept allows motorized as well as manual sectioning, and provides reproducible quality sections.

The RM2155 sectioning speed can be adjusted to cut hard materials as well as paraffin-embedded specimens at high throughput without affecting sectioning quality. This microtome is designed for users who require a fully motorized/electronic microtome for their laboratory needs, making it an ideal instrument for fundamental sectioning of standard and non-standard materials.

The fully motorized Leica RM2155 microtome can cut sections from 0.5 to 60 microns with an automatic motorized coarse feed as well as an adjustable hand wheel for speed control and selectable cutting modes. The knife holder comes with new clamping plates, ensuring the user accurate, non-erratic sectioning.

Location: 15 Innovation Way 117Z

Contact person: Charles Riley

Leica ST5010 Autostainer XL

Leica Tissue Stainer

The Leica ST5010 Autostainer XL provides reproducible, consistent high-quality staining and increased workload throughput in comparison to manual staining.

Features:

  • Ability to store and run up to 15 user-defined staining protocols

  • High specimen throughput with up to 11 racks and 30 slides at a time

  • Easy-to-use software

Location: 15 Innovation Way 117Z

Contact person: Charles Riley

PiSmart Single Hopper Plus Cassette Printer

Designed for on-demand printing, the PiSmart Single Plus can deliver the first printed cassette in as little as 3 seconds. Users have the ability to bypass the hopper and manually drop in a different type of cassette.

Key Features:

  • Delivers printed cassettes in 3-5 seconds
  • High-quality print finish
  • Full-color touch screen
  • Low printing error rate

Location: 15 Innovation Way 117Z

Contact person: Charles Riley

Tissue-Tek Film 4740 Coverslipper

The Tissue-tek Film Automated Coverslipper utilizes a xylene-activated film to apply proper coverage to samples.  Film coverslipped slides have fewer artifacts compared to glass coverslipped slides.  The system features include:

  • Quick drying
  • Barcode scanning
  • Holding capacity of 240 slides
  • Can accommodate coverslip lengths of 45, 50, 55 or 60mm

Location: 15 Innovation Way 117Z

Contact person: Charles Riley

Tissue-Tek Genie Advanced Staining System

The Tissue-Tek Genie Advanced Staining System is a fully automated stainer for application in immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization.

Features:

  • Turnaround time of 2-3hr for IHC including dewaxing, antigen retrieval and counterstaining
  • Throughput of up to 90 IHC slides in 8 hours
  • Temperature range of 10-98°C
  • Slides requirements: 25x75mm or 26x76mm positively charged slides

Location: 15 Innovation Way 117Z

Contact person: Charles Riley

 

Zeiss Axio Observer 7 AI

Zeiss Axio Observer 7 AI: a fully automated, inverted microscope with artificial intelligence technology to provide automatic sample finding. The system provides a mono and color camera for brightfield and color brightfield imaging as well as components for fluorescence imaging. The system is capable of basic image acquisition using brightfield, color brightfield, and fluorescence or automated imaging for time-lapse live cell imaging, Z-stack, tiling and stitching. Additionally, enhanced depth of focus imaging provides a unique method for defining the best Z-location in your tiled image set. Fluorescence filters include DAPI, FITC, Rhodamine and Alex 660. Available objectives include 5, 10, 20 and 40X. Additionally, the scope is equipped with a polarizer for polarized light imaging.

Location: 15 Innovation Way 117K

Contact person: Charles Riley, Faysal Haque, Dr. Mary Boggs

Zen Offline Analysis computer

Description: coming soon 

Location: 15 Innovation Way 117K

Contact person: Charles Riley, Faysal Haque, Dr. Mary Boggs