Welcome!
College of Dentistry Research Core
Our mission is to facilitate all faculty and student research projects at Texas A&M University School of Dentistry by providing guidance and service through our research core.
The research core at consists of a Histology Core, a Microscopy Core, and an Animal Resource Unit. We have several full-time technicians to staff this facility. Two are dedicated to animal maintenance and compliance. The Histology Core is housed in the main Texas A&M College of Dentistry building and the Micro-Computed Tomography (μCT), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), and Confocal microscope are housed in the Sciences Building.
FY2025 updated charges:
|
Animal |
ARU Old Rate |
FY25 ARU Rate |
|
|
Rat |
Normal |
0.29 |
0.32 |
|
w/ Litter |
0.39 |
0.43 |
|
|
Sterile |
0.44 |
1.50 |
|
|
Mouse |
Normal |
0.26 |
0.29 |
|
w/ Litter |
0.36 |
0.40 |
|
|
Sterile |
0.41 |
0.65 |
|
|
Other Fees: |
|
|
Veterinary costs |
$110/hr to be paid by investigator. |
|
Technician assisting TAMUS/Federal Funded Researchers |
8:00am-5:00pm: $27.50/hour; After 5:00pm: $44.00/hour |
|
Technician assisting External Researchers |
8:00am-5:00pm: $38.50/hour; After 5:00pm: $66.00/hour |
|
|
External |
Commercial |
Old Rate |
TAMUS/FED FY 2025 |
|
Instrument Training |
$ 27.50 |
$ 55.00 |
$ 25.00 |
$ 27.50 |
|
ScanCo microCT35 w/o assist |
$ 55.00 |
$ 82.50 |
$ 25.00 |
$ 27.50 |
|
ScanCo microCT w/assist |
$ 55.00 |
$ 82.50 |
$ 25.00 |
$ 27.50 |
|
ScanCo microCT scan time |
$ 11.00 |
$ 16.50 |
$ 5.00 |
$ 5.50 |
|
Bruker SkyScan microCT w/o assist |
$ 55.00 |
$ 82.50 |
$ 25.00 |
$ 27.50 |
|
SkyScan microCT w/assist |
$ 66.00 |
$ 110.00 |
$ 30.00 |
$ 33.00 |
|
SP8 Confocal w/o assist |
$ 27.50 |
$ 38.50 |
$ 15.00 |
$ 16.50 |
|
SP8 Confocal w/assist |
$ 55.00 |
$ 82.50 |
$ 35.00 |
$ 38.50 |
|
Leica Stellaris Multiphoton w/o assist |
$ 27.50 |
$ 38.50 |
$ 15.00 |
$ 15.00 |
|
Leica Stellaris Multiphoton w/assist |
$ 55.00 |
$ 82.50 |
$ 35.00 |
$ 38.00 |
|
JEOL SEM w/o assist |
$ 27.50 |
$ 55.00 |
$ 20.00 |
$ 22.00 |
|
JEOL SEM w/assist |
$ 55.00 |
$ 82.50 |
$ 35.00 |
$ 38.50 |
|
Histology Core |
$ 5.50 |
$ 8.25 |
$ 2.50 |
$ 5.00 |
Histology Core Facility
The Histology Core Facility provides oversight and technical support for The Histology Core Laboratory which is a 400 square foot facility equipped with regular laboratory hardware, including:
Microscopy Core Facility
The Microscopy Core Facility provides oversight and technical support for the Microscopy-Image Analysis Laboratory. A senior research faculty in the Department of Biomedical Sciences supervises this core. The core contains a Confocal and Microscopy Image Analysis System, a Scanning Electron Microscope, and Micro-Computed Tomography (μCT).
Confocal Microscope
Confocal Microscope System set up for live cell imaging: Leica SP5 (2010 model) confocal system with four lasers and five detectors used with an upright microscope: Laser lines 405, 458, 488, 514, 543, 561, 633.
Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)
The Scanning Electron Microscope area has a JEOL JSM-6010LA SEM and uses a field emission gun with cold cathode. The resolution is 1.5 nm in secondary electron imaging (SE) and 3.0 nm in backscattered electron imaging (BEI) at 30 kV. The airlock specimen chamber allows up to a 32 mm diameter sample. Without airlock, the sample can be up to 150 mm. It has a motorized X-Y stage, automatic SEM condition setup based on sample type, simultaneous multiple live image and movie capture, easy sample navigation at 5x - 300,000x magnifications, quantitative and qualitative elements analysis, low and high vacuum operation and wireless capacity.
Scanning Electron Microscopy Fee
The Micro-Computed Tomography area contains a ScanCo MicroCT 35 Scanner with two terminals. It has a Windows-based microcomputer for image analysis; the associated Windows-based software includes Mimics, Geomagic Studio, Strand 7 Finite Element software, Analyze, and Imaris; and a Windows-based microcomputer set-up to use with Bioquant Osteo.
Micro-Computed Tomography (μCT) Fees
Other Imaging Equipment
The Laser Capture Microdissection Microscope area contains a Leica CTR 6500 UV-laser based microdissection system purchased in 2013, which combines automated upright microscope architecture, three-dimensional optical control of the dissecting laser beam and the dissected area, non-contact tissue sampling, and motorized post-dissection handling.
The Slice Scanning Olympus VS 120-S5 area contains a compound light microscope with an epi-florescence capability that allows standard slides (five 1x3, or two 2x3) to be manually loaded and scanned. All system components are designed to interact seamlessly, producing a fully automated, high-speed scanning system with excellent flexibility and simple operation. The microscope is equipped with Fluorescence components and can produce fully automated, high-speed, multi-channel fluorescence virtual slide system with flexibility and simple operation.
Nikon epifluorescent microscope equipped for digital monochrome and color image analysis, an X-Y-Z encoded motorized stage, Pentium computer and Elements software, as well as a second Nikon microscope with a Sony DXC-390 camera and Bioquant NOVA software for bone histomorphometry.
Zeiss Axioplan microscope with a color digital camera for digital capture.
Leica DMRXE microscope with color digital camera for digital capture.
General Shared Core Equipment
Research Equipment Policy of the TAMU School of Dentistry:
All General Shared Core research equipment at the School is considered shared and, with proper training, may be used by any researcher at the School of Dentistry.
The Core Equipment rooms are supervised by the faculty and are located in a central hallway on the fourth floor of the School of Dentistry within the Department of Biomedical Sciences. These rooms are equipped with the following:
Bioengineering-Sciences Building Facilities occupy approximately 2000 square feet of laboratory space. This includes laboratories containing equipment for:
**For TAMU individuals: First-time users should click "Register" in upper right. Returning users will click "Sign In"
**For Non-TAMU individuals: Before you register, you must be assigned an External PO Number.
| Dr. Chunlin Qin | Associate Dean of Research |
| Hours | Location |
|
Open M - F |
Dallas, TX 75246 |
| Name | Role | Phone | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Shannon Kramer |
Core Coordinator
|
214-828-8344
|
sfkramer@tamu.edu
|
483C
|
