The Melbourne Histology Platform provides researchers at the University of Melbourne and affiliated institutes in and outside the Parkville precinct with:
- High quality biological tissue preparation, processing and staining for histology
- A consulting service for experimental design
- Training in current and recently developed methods relating to histology
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As well as offering a full professional histology service, the Melbourne Histology Platform can provide full training in the required histological techniques, which researchers can then perform using the equipment and facilities available on a pay-for-use basis. We work in collaboration with key University microscopy services including the Biological Optical Microscopy Platform and the BioSciencesMicroscopy Unit.
Capabilities
We perform a range of core and advanced histology procedures including:
- Paraffin and frozen tissue embedding
- Paraffin, cryo-and vibro-microtome tissue sectioning
- Automated haematoxylin and eosin staining
- Routine and special staining including silver stains
- Antibody labelling/immunohistochemistry
- Sectioning and staining of a range of tissues including human, rodent, insect, plant and sea anenomes
Our technical staff have over 30 years’ combined experience in routine and specialised histology techniques.
Equipment
- Sakura Tissue Tek paraffin processor (staff operated)
- Sakura Tissue Tek paraffin embedders
- Microm paraffin microtomes
- Leica CM1900 cryostat
- Leica CM1860 cryostat
- Leica VT1000 S vibrating blade microtome
- Leica autostainer XL and coverslipper (staff operated)
- Dako Link 48 automated immunostainer (staff operated)
- Primera slide printer
- Pulsar cassette printer
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Quotes
Request a quote for your histology needs below:
Services
| Service | Charge | Additional information |
|---|---|---|
|
Professional services (including labour, technical assistance and in-depth experimental design consultation) |
$109.00/hr (minimum 30 mins charge) |
E.g. cutting, staining, technical service, consultation for experimental design. Excludes reagents & consumables |
|
Paraffin processing of tissue cassettes (cassettes wrapped in foil) |
$6.00/block if biopsy pad and cassette supplied by client $6.15/block if biopsy pad and cassette supplied by Platform | For mega blocks, add $1.00/block |
|
Paraffin processing of tissue cassettes followed by embedding by Platform staff | $11.00/block | For mega blocks, add $1.00/block |
| Decalcification | $9.60/sample | |
| Automated haematoxylin and eosin staining | $3.00/slide | |
| Automated cover-slipping | $0.40/slide |
Equipment/facilities for client use
| Service | Charge | Additional information |
|---|---|---|
| User inductions and training | ||
|
Induction to Platform (compulsory for users of the in-house equipment and facilities) | $54.50/session |
If users from multiple research group attend, the charge is split between the groups |
|
Equipment lesson for microtome, cryostat or vibratome |
$54.50 per 30 mins per person (minimum 1 hr) |
Equipment lessons are strictly one-on-one |
| Equipment and facilities | ||
| Embedding or re-embedding of paraffin block | $2.00/block | |
| Freezing of tissue using isopentane | $8.50 per 15 mins | |
| Paraffin microtome use |
$8.00/hr (minimum 1 hr charge) | Blades not included |
| Cryostat use |
$30.00/hr (minimum 30 mins charge) | Consumables included |
| Vibratome use | $15.00/hr | Consumables included |
|
Light microscope (Olympus CX3 series microscope with digital imaging system) | $12.00/hr |
$15.00/hr if users are not otherwise clients of the Platform |
| General usage of available facilities | $8.50 per 15 mins |
E.g. staining, glassware usage, consumables, dewaxing/coverslipping by hand |
Staining
Staff labour costs may also apply.
| Stain | Charge |
|---|---|
| Haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) | $3.00/slide |
| Nissl (cressyl violet), nuclear fast red, toluidine blue, orcein, alcian blue (AB), picro-sirius red | $3.00/slide |
| Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS), Congo red, Giemsa, Perl’s, Verhoeff–Van Gieson (VVG) (more stains available) | $6.60/slide |
| Masson trichrome, Luxol fast blue (LFB), AB/PAS (more stains available) | $8.40/slide |
| Silver stains | $14.50/slide |
| Immunohistochemistry (antibody provided by user) | $10.20/slide |
| Other stains not listed above | Pricing by arrangement |
Other reagents and consumables
| Item | Charge |
|---|---|
| Reagents | |
| Dry chemicals | Pricing by arrangement |
| Ethanol | $8.50/litre |
| Formalin (10% neutral buffered formalin) | $8.00/litre |
| OCT (cryo-protective tissue freezing medium) | $47.50/bottle |
| Xylene or equivalent solvent | $9.00/litre |
| Consumables | |
| Blades for microtome | $4.95ea |
| Blades for vibratome | $1.00ea |
| Box – cardboard paraffin block filing box | $13.00ea |
| Box – 100 place plastic slide box | $20.00ea |
| Box – foam freezing box | $9.00ea |
| Cryostat roll plate | $210.00ea |
| Freezing moulds – medium size | $2.50ea |
| Freezing moulds – large size | $3.80ea |
| Slides – Superfrost plus or equivalent adhesive slides | $0.65/slide or $46.80 per pack of 72 slides |
| Slides – plain/untreated slides | $0.25/slide or $12.50 per pack of 50 slides |
All prices are in Australian dollars and are subject to change.
Download a PDF version of Melbourne Histology Platform service charges here.
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Staff
- Chris Freelance
Academic Specialist
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Chris is a zoologist who completed his degrees in the former Department of Zoology at The University of Melbourne. His research background includes the development and refinement of techniques in invertebrate histology and microscopy. Chris provides researcher consultation services, holds researcher training and engagement events and supports the strategic development of Platform capabilities.
- Laura Leone
Laboratory Coordinator
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Laura has extensive experience in diagnostic and research histology. She has worked at The University of Melbourne for over a decade where she has encountered a range of samples ranging from brains and livers to leaves, sea anemones and grasshopper eggs!
- Lisa Foster
Histology Technical Officer
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Lisa completed a Bachelor of Arts/Science with Honours in the Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience at The University of Melbourne. With a research background, she enjoys assisting clients with their histological techniques and integrating her knowledge and expertise into a variety of projects.
Contact us
- Address
- E214 – 216, Level 2 East, Medical Building (181)
The University of Melbourne
Parkville VIC 3010 - biomedsci-histology@unimelb.edu.au
- Phone
- +61 3 8344 5752
The [Platform] undertook some strange requests from me to cut and stain slides for an artistic project, a fringe festival show performed live on a microscope – they immediately worked out what I needed and spent the time with me to embed and cut the slides the specific way they needed to look, and was able to come up with unconventional solutions to help me achieve the right colours in the tissues. We now have a showcase of slides ready to share the beauty of the microscopic world with the public!
Clare Hampson
Creator/Performer, Alice Looking Through the Glass, Melbourne Fringe 2017
My research investigates the relationship between age and survival of populations of the critically endangered spotted tree frog Litoria spenceri impacted by chytrid fungus. We collect toe clips to use growth lines in the toe bones to age the frogs, tracking how the age structure of populations is changing with threats over time.
The Platform assisted me with processing and embedding my samples and provided training for using their paraffin microtomes to section the tissue. The staff provided guidance for adjusting my sectioning technique and for refining the staining to identify growth ring formation in periosteal bone.
Sophie McCulloch
Master of Science student, School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne
The root endodermis serves as a check-point for the passage of nutrients and toxicants from the soil into the vascular system of the plant. There is little known about how the secondary cell walls composed of suberin (yellow) and callose (blue) respond to nutrient deficiency and salinity.
The Melbourne Histology Platform assisted me to develop the method to section barley and rice roots using a vibratome and to develop a staining protocol. Using these images, we will discover how (i) root barrier development is regulated by nutrient supply and sodium toxicity and (ii) how root barriers mediate nutrient uptake and sodium exclusion.
Vanessa Melino
Research Fellow, School of Agriculture and Food, University of Melbourne
At the Marine Microbial Symbiont Facility, we study the microbial communities of the anemone E. pallida. We use fluorescence in situ hybridization (fISH) to localise bacteria associated with anemones and their microalgal endosymbionts. The Melbourne Histology Platform processes and sections our anemones into 80+ transverse sections and provides haematoxylin & eosin stained sections flanking unstained sections for fISH. These sections have allowed us to identify microbial aggregates associated with the anemones’ acontia: a defensive tissue rich in stinging cells (A-C).
Ashley Dungan
PhD candidate, School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne
My research investigated the dental pulp and odontoblast cell’s response to dental caries in normal and hypomineralised teeth. The Melbourne Histology Platform assisted with the immunofluorescent (IF) staining of sections of my teeth samples with the dentine-formation biomarkers β-Catenin and Dentine Matrix Protein 1. The Platform staff provided training and helped with the optimisation to develop a IF protocol for my biomarkers. Their equipment and expertise helped me achieve the optimal staining needed for my project.
Janita Shah
Doctor of Clinical Dentistry (Paediatric Dentistry) student, Melbourne Dental School, University of Melbourne
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The iLab booking system
From October 2020, the Melbourne Histology Platform is using an iLab booking system. This system manages all equipment bookings for trained users, as well as requests for quotes, consultation, training and service provision.
Timeline
- 1 October 2020: iLab available to book any MHP services including training, stains, consulting and so on
- 28 Sept – 30 Oct: Continue to use Google Calendar to book MHP equipment
- 30 Oct: Access to Google Calendar will be disabled
- 31 Oct: Use iLab to book MHP equipment and services
Quick reference guides
The Quick Reference Guides provide an overview of how to perform tasks in the Booking System, including registering for an account, submitting requests and booking resources.
For Principal Investigators/Laboratory heads: this guide contains information for laboratory heads who need to manage Platform usage by their lab members or manage financial information. This QRG also provides instructions on how to delegate the 'Lab Manager' responsibility to one of your lab members.
For Researchers: this guide contains information for researchers who use the platform.
FAQs: this guide answers frequently asked questions about using the iLab booking system.
Seeking support
If answers to your questions about using the MHP booking system cannot be found in the Quick Reference Guides, please contact a member of the MHP staff for assistance.