The Molecular Pathology Facility at Brown University, open to all investigators, provides all-inclusive histology and histopathology services and training. The core houses state-of-the-art equipment, including an automated tissue processor, a paraffin embedding center, two automated microtomes, a cryostat, a vibratome for soft-tissue sectioning, a multiheaded light microscope with projection capabilities and a slide scanner with analysis software for the identification and quantification of morphological structures.  The Molecular Pathology Facility is staffed by a director, a histologist and a histotechnician, who have expertise in histopathological and immunocytochemial methods, including fixation, dehydration, embedding, sectioning, histological staining, immunolabeling, high-resolution imaging, and quantitative image analysis. Facility staff provides all-inclusive services in sample preparation, offers assistance in imaging and image analysis and provides consultation for ongoing or future research projects. 

Related Core
The Molecular Pathology Core Laboratory (MPCL) is a core facility at the department of pathology at Rhode Island Hospital. This core offers a broad spectrum of technical services to both Lifespan and external investigators on a fee-for-service basis. 

Learn More

These cores are listed in CoresRI.org, a searchable directory of core facilities in Rhode Island. 

Find us at CoresRI!

Tissue Sample Processing

• Paraffin Processing and Embedding
• Plastic Processing and Embedding
• Frozen Tissue-Embedding in OCT Block
• TEM Processing and Embedding
• SEM Processing
• Sample Preparation for Serial Blockface Imaging

Staining

• Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E)
• Special Stains*

*Special Stains include Masson's Trichrome, Sirius Red, Congo Red, Oil Red O., Silver stains and other heavy metals, Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS)

Sectioning

• Paraffin
• Plastic
• Frozen/Cryostat
• Ultrathin
• Vibratome
• Serial and Step Sectioning

Immunolabelling

• Immunohistochemistry, Immunocytochemistry
• Immunofluorescence

Additional Services

• Technical Assistance
• Consultation and Support Services

Instrumentation

Protocols

Osmium-Thiocarbohydrazide-Osmium (OTO) Enhanced Contrast Procedure

Osmium-Thiocarbohydrazide-Osmium (OTO) Epon TEM Processing Protocol

Other Protocols

Gatan-Sample Prep, SEM for Serial Block-Face Imaging

Please go to Brown University iLab
Login with your Brown credentials and select the Genomics Core from the drop-down menu. Then click on “request services” and follow the instructions for reservations and billing.

New External and Commercial customers click here

FY25 Rates

Effective 11/18/2024

*Rates for Brown and Rhode Island Academic and Hospital Affiliates

**Enhanced contrast EM: enhanced staining for serial block-face imaging on the Thermo Apreo VS SEM

Please see FAQ section for requirements for tissue placed in cassettes prior to submission to the molecular pathology core.

How large should tissue sample sizes be?

For routine processing, sections should be no more than 3mm thick. A section should not touch both the top and bottom of the tissue-processing cassette.

This facility was supported in part by grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIEHS Grant Number P42ES013660), Brown University's Division of Biology and Medicine and Provost's office.

Superfund Research Program:  The Molecular Pathology Facility began as part of Brown University's Superfund Research Program (SRP) - Toxicant Exposures in Rhode Island: Past, Present, and Future. The Core's initial purpose was to examine molecular and morphological changes in cells, tissues, and organs following exposure to complex environmental contaminants. The core was opened to non-superfund users soon after to stimulate interdisciplinary collaborations in environmental toxicology and create critical mass in the development of novel methodologies.