Research Core Facilities Cell Biology and Microscopy
Core Facilities

Cell Biology and Microscopy Core facility

Human and animal cell culturing has become an integrated part of biomedical and biotechnology research. The Cell biology core facility is the part of Biomedical technology complex at BMC that joins the knowledge, skills, and expertise of research personnel as well as gives centralised access to broad array of equipment. The core facility ensures mammalian cell culture maintenance, characterization and functional testing and the obtaining of primary cell cultures. 

 The cell culturing area is designed and equipped according to the biosafety level 2. There are three separated blocks for the work with (1) certified cell lines (i.e., obtained from ATCC, ECACC etc.), (2) clinical material to obtain primary cell cultures/lines, and (3) cell lines infected with non-pathogenic viruses or virus-like particles. The main cell culture area is accompanied with a support room for washing and sterilization, several additional microscopy rooms and a biochemistry room. The facility ensures short-term and long-term storage of cells at -80oC and liquid nitrogen tanks.

 The core facility has the capacity of six working places within the cell culture rooms, three at fluorescent microscopes; biochemistry room holds a place for up to five people. Under the supervision of qualified specialists, personnel training for golden standards of cell culturing and characterization is ensured; special attention is paid to the student training. To ensure optimal use of the equipment, it is operated by designated BMC personnel.

Provided services:

  • Cell culturing
  • Obtaining of primary cell cultures/lines
  • Cell line bank & cell culture storage
  • Student training for cell culturing & testing
  • Routine testing for mycoplasma contamination
  • Cell counting & sorting (FACSAria, BD)
  • Fluorescent microscopy (LEICA DMI 3000 B, LEICA DM 3000 and LEICA DM 6000 B)
  • ELISPOT analyses (ImmunoSpot CTL)
  • Biochemistry room for cell & tissue sample characterization
  • Laser scanning confocal microscope LEICA TCS SP8 (visualization of live and fixed cells, monitoring of cells innormoxy/hypoxia conditions)
  • Work with a live cell visualization system (Cytation5 BioSpa, BioTek)

 

Publication:

Noninvasive optical diagnostics of enhanced green fluorescent protein expression in skeletal muscle for comparison of electroporation and sonoporation efficiencies. Tamošiūnas M, Kadikis R, Saknite I, Baltušnikas J, Kilikevičius A, Lihachev A, Petrovska R, Jakovels D, Šatkauskas S. J Biomed Opt. 2016 Apr 30.

Responsible personnel:

Ramona Petrovska , MSc. biol.

Head of Cell biology core facility, researcher
Phone: +371 28226298
E-mail: ramona@biomed.lu.lv

Cell culture bank establishment, student training

Dace Pjanova , Dr. biol.

Senior researcher
Phone: +371 67808215
E-mail: dace@biomed.lu.lv

Responsible for microscopy

 

Zane Simsone , MSc.biol.

Research assistants
Phone: +371 67808215
E-mail: zane.simsone@biomed.lu.lv

Responsible for microscopy

 

Juris Jansons , Dr. biol.

Researcher
Phone: +371 67808212
E-mail: jansons@biomed.lu.lv

Responsible for  FC/FACS, ImmunoSpot CTL, electronmicroscope

 

Ilona Mandrika , MSc. biol.

Researcher
Phone: +371 67808200
E-mail: ilona@biomed.lu.lv

Work with a live cell visualization system

 


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Mājas lapas izstrādi finansēja ERAF 2.1.1.2. aktivitātes projekts Nr. 2010/0196/2DP/2.1.1.2.0/10/APIA/VIAA/004 "Latvijas biomedicīnas pētījumu integrācija Eiropas zinātnes telpā".