The Veterinary Biosciences Cytometry Core

The Cytometry Core, formerly ImCore, is a college-wide service, supported by the Department of Veterinary Biosciences and the Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Lawrence Mathes founded the core in the early 1980's with the Beckman Coulter Epics 741, later upgrading to the Epics 743 and Epics Elite. Dr. Mary Jo Burkhard's lab and a BD FACS Calibur was introduced in 2004 along with clinical immunophenotyping. In 2008 a state of the art cell sorter and analyzer, the i-Cyt Reflection, was introduced to the Cytometry Core. The Cytometry Core now hosts a number of instruments for research and clinical needs.

The Core functions to provide high quality, cost effective state-of-the-art cell sorting (both infectious and non), flow cytometry, fluorescent and confocal imaging, and magnetic cell sorting. Our facility hosts staff that are trained in both instrumentation and analysis to serve the research, teaching, and clinical missions of the University.

Services are offered to eligible faculty, staff and students on a fee-for-service, on a first-come-first serve basis. Eligibility is extended to all laboratories within the College of Veterinary Medicine and Comprehensive Cancer Center. For other accessibility, please contact the Cytometry Core Laboratory Coordinator.

Cytometry Core Co-Directors and Staff

Lawrence Mathes, PhD
Cytometry Core Co-Director, Professor and Associate Dean for Research

Dr. Mathes received his Ph.D. in microbiology from Ohio State and joined its Veterinary Biosciences faculty in 1982. He is an internationally recognized scholar with an outstanding record of interdisciplinary research in infectious disease. Dr. Mathes is a leading authority on molecular immunology of feline retrovirus infections in neoplastic disease and evaluation of anti-viral therapeutic approaches. In addition, he led the viral oncogenesis program in the Ohio State Comprehensive Cancer Center for 17 years and directed the Center for Retrovirus Research for 12 years. Dr. Mathes was recently recognized as an AAAS Fellow

Dr. Mary Jo Burkhard, DVM, PhD, DACVP
Cytometry Core Co-Director, Associate Professor

Dr. Burkhard recieved her DVM from Michigan State University, a PhD from Colorado State University, and is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists (Clinical Pathology). Dr. Burkhard is currently an Associate Professor, runs the Infectious Disease Signature Program (IDSP), and has paved the way for clinical flow cytometry in the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Dr. Burkhard's research interests focus on mucosal immunology, T-cell function and phenotype, function and phenotype of freshwater mussel hemocytes, and immunophenotyping of hematopoietic neoplasia.

A. Nicole White
Laboratory Coordinator

Nicole received her Bachelors of Science from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington in 2002. Her flow cytometry and laboratory experiences with viral transfections, stem cell research, and cancer biomarkers have given her a vast insight to the applications, analysis, and interpretation of flow cytometry data. She has been working with flow cytometry and cell sorting applications for over five years gaining experience as an operator on the Beckman Coulter: Elite and XL, the BD FACSAria, FACSCalibur, FACSVantage (basic and digital option), and the new icyt Reflection. Nicole joined the Cytometry Core in the Fall of 2007.

Sarah Leavell
Research Associate, Clinical Coordinator

Sarah earned her Bachelors of Science in Animal Science from North Carolina State University in 1999. Shortly thereafter she started working for Dr. Burkhard performing immunology-based assays researching feline immunodeficiency virus. Upon moving to The Ohio State University in 2004, Sarah began learning and working with the BD FACSCalibur. Sarah continues to utilize the FACSCalibur for her own lab's research interests as well as providing the clinical immunophenotyping service to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. She also provides training and assistance to colleagues interested in collecting and analyzing their own data on the FACSCalibur and Leica Confocal Microscope.