Human Immune Monitoring

The Human Immune Monitoring Core (HIMC) provides top-quality, cost-effective services for deep, comprehensive, multi-omics immune profiling and monitoring at single-cell resolution, enabled by cutting-edge technologies and our highly experienced and knowledgeable physicians, scientists, and technical team.

HIMC is innovation driven and project oriented. We bring the latest technologies for advanced immunology studies and develop the most robust assays and optimized methods on these platforms. Accommodating specific needs of each study and project, our expert team of physicians, scientists, and technicians will provide customizable, integrated services from experimental design, sample processing, data acquisition and processing, to data analysis and management. We apply stringent QC procedures and SOPs to deliver high-quality, accurate, and reproducible results within reasonable time and budget.

To get started, please contact Dr. Parin Shah, PhD, HIMC Manager at ps3280@cumc.columbia.edu or Dr. Benjamin Izar, MD, Faculty Director of the HIMC at bi2175@cumc.columbia.edu.

For oversight, feedback, suggestions, please feel free to contact Dr. Shah or Dr. Izar. We appreciate your support and advice.

Services

Tissue: FFPE (including TMA), frozen tissue sections, isolated cells

  • Vectra
    • Quantitative multiplex immunofluorescent tissue imaging and spatial analysis using automated multispectral microscopy and advanced machine learning
  • NanoString
    • Highly sensitive, rapid, and precise multiplex gene profiling; FFPE or frozen tissue compatible

Single cell suspension: blood, digested/dissociated tissues, cryopreserved or fixed cells

  • CyTOF
    • High-parametric mass cytometry; up to 45+ markers and 40 barcoded samples in same tube; no compensation needed
  • Aurora
    • High-parametric spectral flow cytometry; up to ~30 colors in same tube
  • 10x Genomics
    • Single-cell gene expression profiling, paired VDJ sequencing, and surface protein expression on same cells at scale

Single cell in situ

  • iSpot
    • Advanced ELISpot and FluoroSpot reader; up to 3 colors

Technologies

HIMC offers the following technology platforms.

Vectra (quantitative multiplex immunofluorescent tissue imaging and spatial analysis)

  • up to 7 markers (including DAPI) using regular FFPE or TMA sections
  • automated multispectral imaging and component (marker) quantification
  • tissue and cell segmentation and phenotyping using advanced machine learning software
  • additional computational tools for data analysis

NanoString (highly sensitive, rapid, and precise multiplex gene profiling)

  • up to 800 genes, no amplification required
  • low sample input, FFPE compatible
  • rapid data output, no bioinformaticist required

CyTOF (high-parametric mass cytometry)

  • currently up to ~45 biological markers, plus barcoding capacity of up to 40 samples, in one staining and acquisition tube
  • minimal spillover between channels; compensation is not necessary
  • low background for intracellular and phospho staining
  • deep, comprehensive immune profiling and data analysis using advanced software and computational tools (SPADE, viSNE, PhenoGraph, etc)

Aurora (high-parametric spectral flow cytometry)

  • currently up to ~27 biological markers, upgradable to ~30-40 markers by early 2019
  • comprehensive immune profiling and data analysis using advanced software and computational tools (SPADE, viSNE, PhenoGraph, etc)

10x Genomics (single-cell gene expression profiling and paired VDJ sequencing at scale)

  • comprehensive, scalable gene expression profiling and characterization of thousands to millions of cells at single-cell resolution
  • paired TCR alpha and beta (and paired Ig heavy and light chains) sequencing
  • simultaneous scTCRseq, scRNAseq, and surface protein marker characterization (CITE-seq) on same single cells
  • no need for plate sorting

iSpot (multicolor ELISpot and FluoroSpot reader)

  • high quality, high speed, user friendly, currently up to 3 colors in same assay

Contact

Parin Shah, PhD
630 West 168th St Rm PS17-510
Columbia University Irving Medical Center
New York, NY 10032
United States

Affiliation

Columbia Center for Translational Immunology (CCTI); Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center (HICCC)

Our Team