The Pre-Clinical Core is a component of the Center from Brain Recovery and Repair (P20GM109089). Its mission is to establish a centralized resource and expertise on automated behavior, in-vivo detection of neuronal activity, and structural analyses applicable to a range of pre-clinical models of brain and behavioral illnesses.
The Pre-Clinical Core is designed for researchers to quickly and efficiently test their pre-clinical disease model at the behavioral, neuronal activity, and histological level in one place.
Lee Anna Cunningham, PhD
Pre-Clinical Core Director
Russell Morton, PhD
Associate Core Director
Carissa Milliken, PhD
Core Manager
Kristin Connors
HS Research Tech 3
Q . How do I sign up to utilize Pre-Clinical Core Facilities for my research?
A: Our core facility scheduling utilizes iLabs management software. Please contact the Pre-Clinical Core Manager, Carissa Milliken for MOU and iLabs account set up.
Q. What behavioral task do you offer?
A. The Pre-Clinical Core offers motion tracking system (e.g. open field, novel object recognition etc.), advanced gait analysis, rotarod, and automated fear conditioning and touch-screen behavioral tasks. Most behavior can be integrated with in-vivo electrophysiology.
Q: What species does the Pre-Clinical Core work with?
A: The Pre-Clinical Core is a facility focused on mouse models of neurological disease.
Q: What microscopy techniques does the Pre-Clinical Core offer?
A: We offer in-vivo anesthetized and ex-vivo multi-photon imaging, in-vivo single photon imaging, laser speckle contrast imaging, and in-vivo awake/behaving mini-scope fluorescence imaging.
Q: What type of histology services does the Pre-Clinical Core offer?
A: We offer tissue processing and mounting, tissue sectioning (sliding knife, vibrating vibratome, and cryostat), basic immunohistochemistry, tissue clearing, and Imaris 3D and 4D image analysis.
The Pre-Clinical Core Facility houses resources for automated behavioral testing, including touchscreen inputs and gait analysis tools.
The resources at the Pre-Clinical Core include automated animal tracking systems, learning and memory tasks, motor and gait analysis systems, in-vivo single and multiphoton imaging, optogentics, in-vivo electrophysiology, histology, and 3D and 4D image analysis.
| Service | Details | UNM-Affiliated Research | Non-UNM or Industry Research |
|---|---|---|---|
| Training |
All users must be trained on the equipment prior to use of the facilities. Training is a minimum of 1 hour reviewing procedures and protocols with our trained staff |
$62.50/hour | $87.50/hour |
| Project Development |
Individualized assistance to investigators to develop detailed protocols, experimental design, or assist with data interpretation |
$50/hour | $62.50/hour |
| Behavior | |||
| Ethovision Motion Tracking | Includes: open field, novel object recognition, Y-maze, zero maze, and Morris water maze. |
$19.00/hour (For usage) $38.00/hour (service) |
$62/hour for service |
| Fear Conditioning | Trace and/or contextual fear conditioning |
$19.00/hour (For usage) $38.00/hour (service) |
$62/hour for service |
| Freemaze | A modular maze system with automated doors and pellet dispensers |
$19.00/hour (For usage) $38.00/hour (service) |
$62/hour for service |
| Touchscreen | Touchscreen based cognitive tasks |
$19.00/hour (For usage) $38.00/hour (service) |
$62/hour for service |
| Home Cage Monitoring | For precise montioring, recording, and analysis of movement |
$19.00/hour (For usage) $38.00/hour (service) |
$62/hour for service |
| Catwalk | A sophisticated and high-through put system to measure gate and motor performance in mice or rats. |
$19.00/hour (For usage) $38.00/hour (service) |
$62/hour for service |
| Microscopy | |||
| Epi-Fluorescence Microscopy |
The Preclinical offers a single photon epi-fluorecence microscope |
BX53 $37.50/ hour (usage fee) IX71 $9.50/hour (usage fee) |
BX53 $75.00/hour (usage fee) |
| In-vivo electrophysiology, optogenetics, and mini-scopes | Highly effective ways to monitor and manipulate neuronal activity while the animal is awake and behaving. |
$50.00/hour (usage) |
$100.00/hour (usage fee)
|
| Imaris 3D and 4D image analysis software | Highly powerful analysis software capable of automated 3D and 4D quantification. |
$31.25/hour (usage) |
$62.50/hour (usage) |
| Anesthetized two photon-imaging | High resolution in-vivo imaging of vascular network, neuronal morphology, and network activity. | $50/hour | $1000/hour |
| Till Photonic Fluorescence Imaging system | High Speed fluorescence Ca2+ imaging of in-vitro cultures, ex-vivo tissue, or anesthetized in-vivo. | $50/hour- usage fee |
$70/hour service fee |
| Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging (LSCI) system | Macroscopic laser based imaging system that monitors and measures blood flow |
$20/hour usage fee |
$70/hour usage fee |
| Tissue Processing (Sliding Knife, Vibrating microtome, or Cryostat) | The Pre-Clinical offers a variety of tissue processing methods suitable for a variety of histological protocols. |
$38.00/hour (service)
|
$62.50/hour (service)
|
| Immunohistochemistry | The Preclinical offers a variety of Immunohistochemistry and histological stains. |
$38.00/hour (service)
|
$62.50/hour (service)
|
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Slide Scanning
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Axioscan Slides Scanner High Performance Slides Scanner for Fluorescence and Brightfield microscope slides |
Brightfield 20x | $15.00/slide | $15.00/slide |
| Brightfield 40x | $25.00/slide | $25.00/slide | |
| Fluorescent 20x | $18.00/slide | $18.00/slide | |
| Fluorescent 40x | $31.00/slide | $31.00/slide | |
Our core facility scheduling utilizes iLabs management software. Please contact the Pre-Clinical Core Manager, Carissa Milliken for MOU and iLabs account set up.