Cell Imaging Center

Mission

Our mission is to provide a state-of-the-art facility, expertise, and education in advanced quantitative light microscopy to support Drexel University’s research community

The CIC

The Cell Imaging Center (CIC) is a multi-user facility housed in purpose-built imaging suites in the Papadakis Integrated Sciences Building (PISB) and in the Bossone Research Center. The CIC serves the light microscopy needs of Drexel researchers from a variety of academic colleges and departments including the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Engineering, the School of Biomedical Engineering, and the College of Medicine. The CIC also supports the teaching missions of Biology and Biomedical Engineering curricula and provides service to users from local biotech companies.

Vision

Inspire innovative research and empower Drexel’s researchers through acquisition and promotion of emerging advanced imaging technologies, excellent service, and community partnerships

Values

Services

The CIC provides researchers with state-of-the-art light microscopes to visualize and quantify a variety of cellular and molecular processes within fixed or living cells and tissues. This is accomplished using a variety of optical imaging techniques including:

Wide Field microscopy / Stereology
Laser Scanning Confocal microscopy
Two-Photon Excitation microscopy
Super-resolution microscopy (3D Structured Illumination Microscopy and Localization Microscopy)
Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence microscopy (TIRF)
Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting (FACS)

Still frames (top) and a kymograph (bottom) from total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) time-lapse imaging of a dynamic microtubule plus end (green), which extends from a stable microtubule seed (magenta) and pauses at a septin filament (red). Distance and time are shown in the y and x dimensions, respectively. Imaged by Konstantinos Nakos, Spiliotis Lab, Drexel Biology

Extramacrochaetae (Green) promotes branch and bouton number via the sequestration of Daughterless (Red) in the cytoplasm of neurons. Imaged by Edward A. Waddell, Marenda Lab, Drexel Biology

Septin filaments (green) guide the reorganization of microtubules (red) as a flat MDCK cell (bottom) polarizes into a columnar epithelial layer (top). Image by Jonathan Bowen, Spiliotis Lab, Drexel Biology

DIC image of worm’s head by Dr. Tali Gidalevitz, Drexel Biology

Drosophila axon bundles showing neurons (green) and muscle (megenta). Micrograph by Akanksha Bhatnagar, Elefant Lab, Drexel Biology

MDCK canine epithelia cells stably expressing mcherry SEPT2, co transfected with GFP-tubulin. Cells are undergoing cytokinesis and are images after cleavage furrow ingression until abscission. Imaged by Eva Karasmanis, Spiliotis Lab, Drexel Biology

Tumor cell in 3D collagen micrograph by Petrie Lab , Drexel Biology

COS-7 cells stained for SEPT9 (pseudocolored in yellow) and lysosomes (pseudocolored in cyan) by Ilona Kesisova, Spiliotis Lab, Drexel Biology

Drosophila larval neuromuscular junction, making synaptic boutons (enlargements) when contacting muscle. Micrograph by Akanksha Bhatnagar, Elefant Lab, Drexel Biology