Leading the way in microbiome research

The 10,000-square-foot germ-free facility provides researchers with mice born under germ-free conditions. And it’s the only facility that can image every organ of an animal in real time under germ free conditions. Researchers introduce selected bacteria to the mice and study their effects on the microbiome and it could be the key to understanding how to prevent and treat chronic illness.

Our imaging platform is creating new and transformational opportunities for discovery. Real-time in vivo and in vitro imaging of the microbiome allows us to:

• study it under changing environments
• explain host-microbiome interaction
• understand how the microbiome maintains health and causes diseases

The phenomics platform provides expertise in non-invasive whole body imaging to assess drug mechanism, distribution and impact in models of chronic disease.

Bioinformatics is where computer science and molecular biology meet. Using it to analyze and interpret biological data helps us:

• understand the genetic basis of diseases
• identify microbial species and their properties
• find differences between populations

This platform supports researchers by supplying innovative information on metabolite profiles related to the microbiome. Research will focus on identifying the genes, proteins, and metabolites associated with diseases and understanding their genetic basis. Together, these technologies will allow us to identify new targets in diagnosis and drug development.

Mass cytometry is used to identify new biomarkers, and identify cell types in normal and disease states. It allows us to fingerprint a single cell, which is important for research in immunology, hematology, oncology, and other fields.

There are several applications, including quantitative and qualitative deep profiling of immune cells. It’s also expected to have a major impact on drug development and disease diagnosis.

The IMC biobanking facility provides access to specialized technology services and training for microbiome biobanking of bacteria, patient samples, and strains from chronic disease sufferers.

Data obtained from biobanking samples supports many types of critical research, including genomics and personalized medicine.

The International Microbiome Centre (IMC) Advanced Imaging and Biomarker Discovery platform is a state-of-the-art program that provides access to and expertise in advanced technologies (MIBI) for visualizing immune cells and microbes using high parameter analysis and spatial positioning within tissues.