Host Microbe Core Services

The Host Microbe Core (HMC) will assist and support the research base, trainees, and pilot project investigators by providing specimens, reagents, training, and services to define both the microbial and host response determinants of CF diseases in organs and tissues. This Core combines the resources and expertise of specialists in CF basic and clinical microbiology, airway epithelial and immune cell biology, pathology, and microscopy to provide an integrated network of services, reflecting an evolution in the field of CF disease pathogenesis to concurrently investigate the host and pathogens. Core services available to the UW RDP and CFRTC research base include:

• Sample processing, embedding, and staining for advanced histology, immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization, microbial identification and localization, and microscopic image acquisition, including automated technologies.
• Perform processing of clinical, animal, and laboratory specimens for microbiome, proteome, metabolome, and transcriptome analyses, and for specific targets.
• Provide quantitative digital pathology and whole slide digital repository for tissues from people with CF.
• Perform or provide training in microbial culturing in formats representative of chronic infection for proteomic, genomic, and biochemical analysis.
• Provide access to comparative pathologists to assist with basic research and preclinical studies.
• Perform or provide training and access to phenotypic metabolic profiling of laboratory and clinical bacterial isolates, including the Biolog platform.
• Provide access to strains of bacteria cultured from CF clinical fecal samples, including Escherichia coli and Bacteroides spp.
• Provide engineered microbial strains of the predominant CF pathogens that can be used for the study of chronic infection.
• Provide access to, and expertise and training for, sophisticated analytical and imaging equipment.
• Provide access to, and expertise and training for, flow cytometric equipment and services.
• Interact closely with the Clinical and Genomics cores to provide unified services for CF researchers.

Supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIDDK P30 DK 089507) and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (SINGH19R0). Please reference these grant numbers on all publications resulting from support provided by this Core Center grant.