Provides custom mouse model creation, preclinical in vivo research services, comprehensive or disease-area specific phenotyping and pathology and biorepository services
The Centre for Phenogenomics conducts and enables groundbreaking research and discovery, with the goal of advancing human health. Our facilities and our ability to generate, hold, analyze, archive and distribute a critical mass of mouse models are integrated under one roof to enable the best science supported by the best infrastructure and access to our collective expertise.
Custom mouse model generation, breeding services, preclinical models and services, phenotyping services, pathology services, cryopreservation and recovery services
- Life sciences, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment
Specialized labs and equipment
Specialized lab |
Equipment |
Function |
---|---|---|
Model Production |
ES cell culture facility
Transgenic Core facility equipped with microinjection stations
Molecular biology equipment including robotics
Transgenic Surgery suite in the strict barrier of animal facility |
Gene targeting in embryonic stem (ES) cells
Preparation of ES cells for aggregation or microinjection to generate chimeras
Derivation of novel ES cell lines
Mouse embryo culture
Generation of chimeras (from ES cells) by aggregation and microinjection
Transgenic and Cas9 mediated mouse production by pronuclear injection
Preparation of reagents for microinjections & genotyping including Cas9 founders
Embryo transfer surgery of manipulated embryos and rederivation of mouse strains into SPF status
|
Animal Holding |
SPF exclusion barrier mouse holding facility
Biosafety Containment Level 2 holding facility
Quarantine mouse holding facility
Whole-body irradiator
Individually ventilated mouse cages and racks (36,000-cage capacity)
Automated robotic cage processing system
Automated and monitored building control systems
Web-enabled Laboratory Information Management System (TCP LIMS) |
Custom breeding, weaning and identification
Procurement, importation and exportation
Daily animal care and colony management
Preclinical in vivo research
Husbandry and technical services
Mouse colony diagnostics and health monitoring |
Clinical Phenotyping |
Purpose-built facilities with state-of-the-art equipment for comprehensive or focused physiological and neurobehavioural phenotyping |
Neurological assessment: behaviour, learning and memory, sensory perception
Organ system assessment: metabolic, cardiovascular, pulmonary, musculoskeletal, blood, urinary
Reproductive and developmental assessment: fertility, viability, embryo phenotyping |
Pathology |
Gross pathology suite for rodent necropsy
Paraffin histology suite for rodent and larger species tissue processing
Plastic histology suite for undecalcified tissue processing (i.e. bone)
Immunohistochemistry (manual and automated)
Molecular pathology suite (Arcturus PIXCELL IIe and Arcturus XT laser capture microdissection instruments)
Histopathology suite (brightfield and fluorescence microscopes, whole-tissue slide scanner, image analysis)
Beckman AU480 Biochemistry Analyzer |
Pathology services for mouse and other laboratory animals for research and drug discovery
Gross pathology, including necropsy, special dissections and macroimaging
Histology, including handling, processing, cutting and staining fixed and frozen tissue
Immunohistochemistry – optimizing new antibodies and routine IHC
Molecular pathology using laser-capture microdissection for isolation and purification of DNA and RNA from captured cells
Histopathology, including image-enabled reporting and whole-tissue slide scanning
Embryonic lethal and neonatal death investigation
Blood biochemistry analysis for 18 different analytes and LIH score |
Cryopreservation & Recovery |
Large-capacity liquid nitrogen repository equipment
–800C repository equipment |
Embryo cryopreservation and recovery
Sperm cryopreservation and recovery
Strain rescue and expansion
Mouse line and ES cell distribution |
Imaging |
7T MRI scanner for mice
High resolution specimen X-ray CT-scanner
High frequency ultrasound
Optical projection tomography |
Allows high throughput screening of mouse physiology and anatomy
Visualization of microcirculation and bone morphology
Assessment of cardiac function and fetal development in mice
Visualization of early embryo development in mice |
Private and public sector research partners
- Mount Sinai Hospital
- The Hospital for Sick Children
- TCP Inc.
- International Knockout Mouse Consortium (IKMC)
- International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium (IMPC)