Pathology facility

The Barts Cancer Institute Pathology Laboratory at Queen Mary University of London is a specialist research facility providing high-quality histology services to support cancer and biomedical research.

Welcome to the Barts Cancer Institute Pathology Laboratory at Queen Mary University of London. We are a specialist research facility providing high-quality histology services to support cancer and biomedical research. We play a vital role in transforming biological samples into meaningful data, helping researchers understand disease mechanisms, validate experimental models, and advance the development of new diagnostics and therapies.

Our laboratory offers a comprehensive range of services including tissue processing, paraffin embedding, sectioning for Formalin-Fixed, Paraffin-Embedded (FFPE) and Frozen samples, routine and advanced staining techniques. We provide Haematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining, a wide selection of special stains, and expert immunohistochemistry (IHC) services, including both single-plex and multiplex staining. These techniques allow precise visualisation of tissue structure, cellular morphology, and protein expression within normal and diseased tissues.

Equipped with state-of-the-art automated histology platforms and supported by a highly experienced team, we ensure accuracy, consistency, and reproducibility across all workflows. We support researchers across Barts Cancer Institute and Queen Mary University of London, as well as external academic and industry collaborators, offering tailored solutions to meet diverse research needs.

What sets us apart is our combination of technical expertise, advanced histology technologies, and a collaborative, research-driven approach. From routine histology to complex multiplex immunostaining, the Barts Cancer Institute Pathology Laboratory provides dependable, high-quality services that enable impactful discoveries in cancer research and beyond.

Contact details

For general enquiries:

Manager: Nadia Rahman, n.rahman@qmul.ac.uk

Please contact the Facility Manager for financial requests, quotations, grant applications, new project discussion or any enquiries for external access.

Location

The Barts Cancer Institute pathology laboratory is located within the Wolfson Institute Building.

Address

Barts Cancer Institute Histopathology Laboratory
Room 027, Ground Floor,
Wolfson Institute Building,
Charterhouse Square,
London EC1M 6BQ

Opening Hours

  • Core hours: 8:30am to 4:30pm, Monday – Friday

Pathology facility team

Nadia Rahman profile picture

Nadia Rahman

Histopathology Laboratory Manager

Andrew Clear

Senior scientist in Medical Oncology and TMA Specialist

Eghosa Arovo Enohuman

Laboratory Technician

Getting Started

Requests for services for internal users are made using the online system, iLab Solutions.

You will find further information on how to use iLab with the following links:

– Internal users can register for Pathology services through the Queen Mary system

– External users need to register for an external account, select the institution and/or specific Core and follow the registration steps. Once this is done, they will need to submit a request, which will be reviewed by the service.

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Acknowledgements

The Barts Cancer Institute Histopathology Facility is funded by Cancer Research UK (CRUK).

  • Please use the following phrase to acknowledge the use of BCI Histopathology Facility on any publications and presentations: “Histology experiments were performed in the BCI Histopathology Facility. The BCI Histopathology Facility is supported by the CRUK BCI Histopathology Core Services Grant at Barts Cancer Institute.
  • You may also wish to acknowledge an individual member of staff (delete as appropriate): “In particular, we thank [name] for their advice and support with (Histology Services)
  • In addition to the acknowledgement statement, it is important to offer authorship in a publication if a member of the team has helped with the design, troubleshooting and data analysis of a project or experiment. This is particularly important for Technician Staff career progression and shows their help is properly valued. Our staff is more than happy to help, review and advise on manuscripts.
  • Please send us a reprint or pdf of your accepted paper so we can keep track of these acknowledgements and post your accomplishment in the lab.

Thank you for your support and recognition!

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Prices

Please note: For external users, purchase orders must be raised with the correct tax code to include the iLab quoted price + VAT.

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Services and equipment

The Pathology service is open to collaborations to develop new procedures and techniques for innovative research projects. We support researchers across Queen Mary University of London and external academic and industry partners. All samples processed within the laboratory are for research purposes only.

Tissue Processing - Sakura VIP Tissue Processor

We provide reliable and consistent tissue processing using the Sakura VIP Tissue Processor. Tissues are received fixed in 70% alcohol and processed overnight through controlled dehydration, clearing, and paraffin infiltration. This ensures optimal tissue preservation and morphology for downstream histology, sectioning, and staining applications.

Embedding - Leica HistoCore Arcadia H+C Embedding System

Embedding is performed using the Leica HistoCore Arcadia H+C Embedding System, producing high-quality paraffin blocks suitable for routine and advanced histological analysis. Users may request:

  • Processing Only
  • Processing and embedding only
  • Processing, embedding, and sectioning

FFPE Sectioning - Leica HistoCore RM2255 Rotary Microtomes

We cut high-quality formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue sections using Leica HistoCore RM2255 Rotary Microtomes with semi-automated sectioning capability. This allows precise, reproducible section thickness for routine histology, immunohistochemistry, and special staining applications.

Frozen Tissue and Cryo-sectioning - Leica CM1860 Cryostat

We prepare cryo blocks from frozen tissue and perform frozen sectioning using the Leica CM1860 Cryostat. Cryo-sections are ideal for applications requiring preserved enzyme activity, lipid staining, or rapid tissue assessment, as well as downstream molecular and imaging studies.

DNase/RNase-Free Sectioning

For both FFPE and frozen samples, we offer sectioning under DNase- and RNase-free conditions. Sections can be collected on positively charged (extra-adhesive) glass slides, making them suitable for:

  • DNA and RNA extraction
  • Molecular pathology
  • In situ hybridisation and transcriptomic studies

Routine Histology Staining

We perform high-quality Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining using the Leica TS5015 Auto Stainer XL and CV5030 automated coverslipper. H&E staining provides essential visualisation of tissue architecture, cellular morphology, and pathological features, forming the foundation of histological analysis.

Special Stains

We offer a comprehensive panel of special histological stains on standard slides and Mega-slides, enabling the visualisation of specific tissue components, fibres, lipids, carbohydrates, microorganisms, and pathological deposits.

Available stains include:

  • Sirius Red
  • Neutral Red
  • Alcian Blue / PAS (AB/PAS)
  • PAS
  • Oil Red O
  • Congo Red
  • Masson Trichrome
  • Elastic Van Gieson (Miller)
  • MSB
  • Reticulin
  • Grocott
  • May-Grünwald Giemsa (MGG)

These techniques support fibrosis assessment, amyloid detection, lipid analysis, connective tissue studies, and infection research.

Automated Immunohistochemistry (IHC) - Ventana Discovery Ultra Auto Stainers

We provide high-quality automated Immunohistochemistry (IHC) using Ventana Discovery Ultra Auto Stainers. Our service includes:

  • Single-plex IHC staining
  • Multiplex IHC staining

Detection systems include:

  • ChromoMap with OmniMap anti-Rabbit HRP for animal tissue staining
  • Ultramap for human samples staining

This enables sensitive and reproducible detection of protein expression and biomarker localisation in tissue sections for translational and discovery research.

Tissue Microarray (TMA)

We offer a complete Tissue Microarray (TMA) service to support high-throughput analysis of multiple tissue samples on a single slide.

Options include:

  • Training in TMA construction
  • User-constructed TMA following training
  • Full TMA construction service performed by our team

TMAs enable efficient biomarker screening, antibody validation, and comparative tissue studies.

Slide Scanning

We provide slide scanning services to generate high-resolution digital images of histological and immune-stained slides.