IMAGING

The BCF Imaging Center offers access to state-of-the-art technologies enabling histological preparation, visualization, digitization, and image analysis spanning from subcellular resolution up to in-vivo small animal imaging studies.

 

We provide comprehensive services that include extensive technology implementation and training for image acquisition and analysis.

 

We support researchers from a variety of life science fields, such as cancer, angiogenesis & vascularization, stem cells, development, neuroscience, brain & behavioral research, atherosclerosis, cardiac research and more in the Faculty of Medicine and outside.

We also deliver annual workshops and courses for training and education and regularly host presentations on new technologies.

• The In-Vivo Imaging unit, led by Galit Saar, PhD in Chemistry from Tel Aviv University, with a focus on development and use of MRI techniques for the study of connective tissues. Previously Galit was a postdoctoral fellow and a research scientist at NINDS, NIH and specialized in MRI and PET imaging of the brain and other organs in the body. The unit houses optical imaging systems for luminance and fluorescence high throughput imaging, a micro ultrasound, a micro-CT and 1T and 9.4T MRI scanners for anatomical and functional studies.
• Cellular Microscopy unit, led by Maya Holdengreber. Maya has been with the BCF since 2008, and as an Advanced Imaging and analysis Applications Specialist for the past eight years. The unit offers laser scanning confocal systems including Airyscan super-resolution, high throughput time-lapse and virtual widefield microscopy systems for subcellular, co-culture, 3D, whole organ slice and ex-vivo preparations. We have recently purchased an Abbelight Single Molecule Localization Microscope.
• Electron Microscopy unit, led by Lihi Shaulov, PhD in Biology from the Technion. Lihi joined the BCF team in 2017 to establish the Electron Microscopy Unit. We offer specimen preparation for ultrastructure studies, immunolabelling, classical surface rendering and acquisition services of scanning and transmission electron microscopy imaging. We have an operational Talos L120C transmission electron microscope at the faculty.
• Image Analysis Our team was recently enhanced by Ariel Shemesh, PhD, formerly a physicist at BioRad, Elbit Systems, and Philips Medical Systems where he was part of teams that developed various electro-optical products. Ariel has a background in optics, electro-optics, signal, and image processing. We provide a wide variety of image analysis and visualization tools and we assist in the establishment of data analysis protocols.
• Histology Services Laboratory, led by Sana Abu-Elhija, offers sectioning of frozen tissue and tissue embedded in paraffin and a host of histological staining techniques and we are open to implementation of new techniques.