The Melbourne Histology Platform helps researchers and clinicians to investigate animal, human and plant anatomy at the microscopic level. This helps them to understand basic biological processes and to diagnose and understand disease processes.
We help researchers with high-quality biological tissue preparation, processing and staining for histology. We also offer training in histology techniques and consulting services for experimental design.
Our services include:
- Processing routine and specialised tissues
- Paraffin and frozen tissue embedding
- Paraffin-, cryo- and vibrating-microtome tissue sectioning
- Automated haematoxylin and eosin staining
- Routine and special staining, such as silver stains
- Antibody labelling/immunohistochemistry
- Researcher training in histological techniques.
We have experience with a wide range of routine and non-routine samples and projects. Recent non-routine projects include:
- Refining specialised bone section staining to age frogs. This was part of a long-term conservation project.
- Developing immunolabelling protocols for barley plants. This was part of a project to investigate the effects of nutrient deficiency on root morphology.
- Optimising a sectioning technique for dairy product samples. This was for bio-engineering research.
Resources
- Automated haematoxylin and eosin stainer
- Automated immunostainer
- Cryostats/cryo-microtomes
- Paraffin embedder
- Paraffin processors
- Paraffin microtomes
- Vibratome/vibrating-blade microtome.
User information
The platform is open to researchers at Australian universities and research institutions. We provide professional histology services on a fee-for-service basis. We also train researchers to perform histology techniques themselves using facilities and instruments available at the platform on a pay-for-use basis.
Other platforms
We work closely with the Phenomics Australia Histopathology and Slide Scanning Service, including offering a transfer service for slide scanning and histopathology reporting.
The platform can also be used in conjunction with:
Contact us
- biomedsci-histology@unimelb.edu.au
- Phone
- +61 3 8344 5752
Book online using iLab
You can book this resource or platform using the iLab booking system. You will need to create an account before logging in. Access user guides and videos to help you set up an account and navigate the iLab system:
If you're familiar with iLab and already have a login, visit the Melbourne Histology Platform iLab Core.
More information on this platform can be found on the Research Gateway, which is available to all University of Melbourne academic and honorary staff, graduate researchers and professional staff. To access the Research Gateway, login with your University of Melbourne username and password.
Banner image: A person holding a microscope slide. Image by Gavan Mitchell