Pathology Facility
The Pathology Facility at ICR provides comprehensive, high-quality tissue processing and analysis services to support research within ICR. The facility is fully equipped to handle both human and mouse samples, delivering standardised, reproducible results using modern, automated workflows and expert technical support.
The facility is open to both internal researchers and external academic or industry users.
Image credit: ICR
Core services
Formalin-fixed tissues are processed and embedded in paraffin using automated tissue processing systems, ensuring consistent dehydration, clearing, and infiltration for optimal downstream analysis.
Precision sectioning of paraffin-embedded tissues is performed to produce high-quality sections at defined thicknesses suitable for routine histology, special stains, and advanced applications.
Calcified tissues such as bone are carefully decalcified using controlled protocols that preserve tissue morphology and antigenicity for subsequent sectioning and staining.
Routine Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining is carried out using fully automated staining platforms, followed by coverslipping to produce consistent, high-quality slides for histopathological evaluation.
Specialised PSR staining is offered for collagen visualization and fibrosis assessment, compatible with both brightfield and polarized light microscopy.
Paraffin curls and unstained slides are prepared under controlled conditions to support downstream molecular applications, including DNA and RNA extraction.
Customised tissue orientation, sectioning, multiple tissue placement and slide preparation are available to meet the requirements of emerging spatial biology and spatial transcriptomics technologies. We currently support Akoya Biosciences PhenoCycler, Nanostring/Bruker CosMx and 10x Genomics Visium.
Equipment
- Leica Microtomes
- Leica Histocore Pearl Tissue Processor
- Leica Histoscore CHROMAX Automated Slide Staining & Coverslipping Workstation
Team
Dr Shichina Kannambath, Head of the Facility
Mr Oscar Williamson, Higher Scientific Officer
Mr Otis Agbaimoni, Higher Scientific Officer
Location
Lab: 0E11, Brookes Lawley Building
Office: 0E17, Brookes Lawley Building
32 Oakleaf Avenue,
Sutton, SM2 5GP
Contact
For more information, contact: [email protected].
Latest cancer discoveries
One week radiotherapy course shown to be safe and effective in the long term for early stage breast cancer
A one-week course of post-surgery radiotherapy is just as safe and effective as the traditional three-week course for people with early-stage breast cancer, according to long-term results from a ground-breaking study, led by The Institute of Cancer Research, London
Early scan could help predict breast cancer treatment response
Research led by The Institute of Cancer Research, London and King’s College London suggests that an early scan taken after one cycle of chemotherapy could help to predict how well a patient’s cancer will respond to treatment.