Small Animal & Cell Radiation Sciences Shared Core Service
The Radiation Sciences Core supports radiation biology studies of cell cultures and small animals receiving moderate-dose radiation. We also enable investigators to study low dose-rate irradiation in cell culture. And we provide irradiation servies for investigators who need this tool in support of other efforts, such as using total body irradiation for immunosuppression of animals before stem cell transplantation.
Services We Offer
- Project design and consultation, including advice on radiation delivery to in vitro experiments and animal models
- Design assistance for single or fractionated radiation protocols and study duration
- Radiation safety training (all users) and radiation operation training (advanced users)
- Animal tumor and partial-body irradiation at doses comparable to external beam radiotherapy
- Cell suspension irradiation
- High-dose irradiation to sterilize implant material
- Dosimetry calculation
- Calibration in support of stem cell research
- Blocking cellular division in in vitro cell cultures
- Immune function assays
- Radiation-induced DNA damage repair studies
- Data analysis an publication preparation assistance
Equipment
- Cesium Irradiator, which allows for deep tissue irradiations with notable accuracy
- Electronic Monitoring System for tracking and recording system use
Prices
The Radiation Sciences Core offers a discounted rate for UCCC members. Non-members are welcome to use our services as well, but we give members scheduling priority. We issue all users a key card that operates the equipment and tracks your time for easy billing.
Time is charged in one-minute increments, including warm-up time, regardless of the number of samples irradiated.
- Member price per minute: $1
- Non-member price per minute: $2
How to Use the Core
- All users must undergo radiation safety training. To schedule your training, contact Chastiti Vetter.
- Please contact Dr. Angela Hu or Francis Newman to schedule irradiator time or for help designing and implementing your irradiation experiment.