World-Class Bioimaging Unit Established at Queen’s University

Equipped and resourced to the highest specification, the world-class facility establishes for the first time a Core Technology Unit to support the use and implementation of established and novel bioimaging techniques for the biomedical research community within Queen’s and also for outside organisations.

Funded by an award to Professor Peter Hamilton and Dr Paul Duprex from the Science Research Investment Fund (SRIF2), the aim is to grow the Unit in order to provide extensive imaging facilities for a range of applications. This initiative will significantly enhance the capability and performance of Queen’s research in the biomedical sciences.

Representing a range of specialist microscopy techniques that allows researchers to visualise cells and molecular processes within cells at very high resolution, bioimaging is a vital tool in understanding better how cells function in health and what causes them to malfunction in disease.

The equipment contained within the new unit, which is housed within the School of Biomedical Sciences in the University’s Medical Biology Centre, has applications which will benefit a broad spectrum of research areas, including biomedical sciences, the biosciences, pharmaceuticals, drug discovery and applications within the engineering fields.

Speaking about the importance of the new Unit, Peter Hamilton, Director of the Unit said: “We are delighted to have received funding to support this major initiative. Bioimaging techniques are at the core of modern biomedical research and require dedicated facilities and experienced staff. We have one of most well equipped units in Europe and I have no doubt that this will significantly strengthen the research being carried out by the university.”

Commenting on the establishment of the Unit, Professor Bert Rima, Professor of Molecular Biology and Head of the School of Biomedical Sciences at Queen’s added: “Thanks to the dedicated facilities and experienced staff supported by the funding provided for this major initiative from SRIF, Queen’s can now build on its growing reputation for research and leadership in Bioimaging. We look forward to working in partnership with academia and industry in order to provide support in developing some of the most innovative, leading-edge products and technologies.”

The Bioimaging Unit is now open for use by researchers and is currently supporting a wide range of research activities both within the University and with academic and industrial groups outside of Queen’s. The unit also runs courses on a range of bioimaging techniques.

For further information regarding the Bioimaging Unit please contact Unit Manager, Mr. Stewart Church, at 028 90 972274, email s.church@qub.ac.uk or visit www.qub.ac.uk/cm/bmi/Bioimaging/index.htm.