Shared Resources Spotlights

Posted in Special Stories

Learn more about Georgetown’s Shared Resources, which provide researchers with access to state-of-the-art equipment and technical expertise to support their work.

Index

Flow Cytometry Shared Resource

The Flow Cytometry Shared Resource (FCSR) provides investigators at Georgetown University with access to comprehensive flow cytometry, cell sorting and mass cytometry services. The FCSR houses multiple flow cytometers and cell sorters to enable phenotyping of cells with up to 14 fluorescent markers. Cells also can be separated out for further downstream analysis. The FCSR provides guidance in experimental methodologies and design, technical assistance for grant proposals and scientific manuscripts, assay development to fit users’ research-specific needs, and training on instrumentation and analysis software. The FCSR can also assist with sample preparation and cell staining services for cell cycle analysis and Annexin V apoptosis assays. Other sample preparation services can be arranged. Analysis software and support is also available through the FCSR.

New technology now available: Mass cytometry (CyTOF) using the Standard Biotools (Fluidigm) Helios and the latest-generation CyTOF XT mass cytometers provides high resolution cytometric profiles and correlated results for up to 50 markers in one sample. 

Contact: FCSR-DC Director Karen Creswell, PhD, creswell@georgetown.edu; FCSR-NJ Manager Yuanyuan Tian, PhD, yuanyuan.tian@hmh-cdi.org

Tissue Culture & Biobanking Shared Resource

The Tissue Culture & Biobanking Shared Resource (TCBSR) provides Georgetown Lombardi investigators with all tissue culture-related aspects of their work and offers unique services that enable the biobanking of blood and other biofluid specimens obtained from subjects enrolled in various Georgetown Lombardi studies. The TCBSR offers high-quality tissue culture reagents and infrastructure, as well as access to well-annotated, high-quality biofluid specimens through a meticulously maintained biorepository. Tissue culture services include cell culture and cell banking; conditional reprogramming of cells to establish primary epithelial cell cultures from normal and cancer tissues; providing a safe and secure cryostorage facility for frozen stocks of cancer cell lines and other reagents; operating three separate shared tissue culture laboratories; and providing training in the basic principles of tissue culture with hands-on experience. Biobanking services include the processing of specimens (e.g., preparing aliquots of serum), banking the specimens, and disbursing as needed.

Contact: TCBSR Director Bassem Haddad, MD, haddadb1@georgetown.edu; TCBSR Manager Dionyssia Clagett, MS, dac58@georgetown.edu

Survey, Recruitment & Biospecimen Collection Shared Resource

The Survey, Recruitment & Biospecimen Collection Shared Resource (SRBSR) provides Georgetown Lombardi investigators with access to an integrated suite of comprehensive services for planning and implementing research projects. SRBSR services include consultation prior to study initiation, survey design and administration, screening for eligibility, subject recruitment, database programming to facilitate participant tracking, biospecimen acquisition, and preparing and managing final datasets. The SRBSR maintains and continuously updates a centralized, unified and efficient patient registry (Georgetown MedStar Research Registry [GMR2]) and the Familial Cancer Registry (FCR) to facilitate subject recruitment and biospecimen acquisition. The majority (97%) of subjects currently enrolled in this patient registry have consented to have their samples retained for future studies and to be contacted about future studies for which they may be eligible. The SRBSR serves the needs of investigators from various disciplines, including behavioral scientists, clinical and translational researchers, epidemiologists and basic scientists.

Contact: SRBSR Director Arnold Potosky, PhD, arnold.potosky@georgetown.edu, Co-Director Colleen McGuire, RN, MSN, mcguirec@georgetown.edu

Mass Spectrometry & Analytical Pharmacology Shared Resource – Proteomics

The Proteomics component of the Mass Spectrometry & Analytical Pharmacology Shared Resource (MSAPSR-Proteomics) provides Georgetown Lombardi investigators with access to an integrated suite of comprehensive molecular profiling services for targeted and untargeted identification and quantification of proteins/peptides and their modifications (including phosphorylation, acetylation, and O-GlcNAcylation) using nanoHPLC-MS/MS-based proteomic/peptidomic approaches. MSAPSR-Proteomics also supports studies in protein-protein interaction and identification of protein isoforms, as well as translational biomedical applications (e.g., discovery of protein biomarkers in biofluids and exosomes for diagnosis and prevention).

New technology now available: Imaging mass cytometry (IMC) scanning using the Standard Biotools (Fluidigm) Hyperion instrument for multiplex and spatial imaging of protein markers at the subcellular level in cancer and immune cells in tissue sections.

Contact: MSAPSR-Proteomics Director Junfeng Ma, PhD, junfeng.ma@georgetown.edu

Mass Spectrometry & Analytical Pharmacology Shared Resource – Mass Spectrometry Imaging (MSI) and Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamics (PK/PD)

The Mass Spectrometry & Analytical Pharmacology Shared Resource (MSAPSR) provides Georgetown Lombardi investigators with access to an integrated suite of comprehensive services for mass spectrometry imaging (MSI), pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamics (PK/PD), and single-cell isolation using laser capture microdissection (LCM). These services leverage cutting-edge technologies to enable the spatial distribution and quantitation of exogenous (drugs and metabolites) and endogenous (lipids, metabolites, peptides, proteins and glycans) molecules from biofluids and biospecimens. MSI allows for untargeted, label-free molecular imaging of lipids, metabolites, glycans, peptides and pharmaceuticals within tissue sections and 3D organoid/spheroid models. PK/PD services provide support for drug development pipelines through quantitation of pharmaceuticals, metabolite identification, bioanalysis, biodistribution, and formulation analysis.

Contact: MSAPSR Co-Director Claire Carter, PhD, Claire.Carter@hmh-cdi.org

Mass Spectrometry & Analytical Pharmacology Shared Resource – Metabolomics

The Metabolomics component of the Mass Spectrometry & Analytical Pharmacology Shared Resource (MSAPSR-Metabolomics) provides Georgetown Lombardi investigators with access to an integrated suite of comprehensive metabolic and lipidomic profiling and quantification services through the utilization of over a dozen in-house developed and validated mass spectrometry (MS)-based assays. Services in the MSAPSR-Metabolomics include global metabolomics and lipidomics profiling, multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) MS-based targeted discovery metabolomics and lipidomics assays, Biocrates P180 assay, real-time cellular metabolic flux and respiration analysis using the Seahorse Extracellular Flux Analyzer, and drug metabolite quantitation.

New technology now available: AB SCIEX 7500 and Waters QTOF Xevo G3 upgrades to support targeted and untargeted workflows with high sensitivity and through put.

Contact: MSAPSR-Metabolomics Director Amrita Cheema, PhD, akc27@georgetown.edu