About the UCSB Stem Cell Core

The Stem Cell Core is a positive pressure laboratory with a 0.2 micron HEPA-filtered air supply. It is divided into six workstations, each equipped with a laminar flow biosafety cabinet, air-jacketed CO₂ incubators, and a sterile dissection hood equipped with a Nikon SMZ 1500 dissecting microscope with a heated stage and an Olympus inverted phase contrast microscope with a camera.

Facility use as well as training and technical assistance in adult and pluripotent stem cell culture methodologies are made available to both internal and external investigators through a recharge agreement. This includes both nonprofit and for-profit entities. The Core is co-directed by Mika Katsura and Susanne Meyer.

Equipment and Core Capabilities

The Core’s recently upgraded scientific equipment includes:

• A Merscope Ultra for spatial transcriptomic imaging
• A Cytation C10 confocal imaging reader
• An EVOS M5000 fluorescence imaging system
• A NovoCyte 2000R flow cytometer with NovoSampler Pro combo
• An iBright imager
• A Neon Nxt electroporator
• Cell counters, a Controlled-Rate Freezer, a Seahorse XF Flex Analyzer, and centrifuges

Ancillary equipment includes an Azenta tank for vapor phase liquid nitrogen and traditional liquid nitrogen storage containers, as well as corrosive/flammable storage cabinets, refrigerators, freezers, and water baths.

Routine mycoplasma testing is performed in-house and karyotyping services are carried out via contract. Nanopure water purification systems, autoclaves, and ice/dry ice/liquid nitrogen are readily available.

Training, Services, and Courses

Individual one-on-one training for new investigators is available. We offer two hands-on laboratory training courses:

• Advanced Stem Cell Techniques
• Quantitative Stem Cell-Based Modeling

These courses are accessible to central coast undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and researchers in academia and biotechnology.

We also offer workshops on:

• Integrated Embryo Models
• Brain and Retinal Organoid Models
• Spatial Transcriptomics
• Encapsulation and Scaffolding

Please see the Training page for more information.

Part of the CIRM SRL Network

Our stem cell core is part of a network of 11 Shared Resources Laboratories (SRLs) for Stem Cell-Based Modeling supported by CIRM. This network of SRLs throughout the state of California shares a broad and powerful range of stem cell expertise, state-of-the-art services and equipment, training, and educational activities.

Our SRL has particular expertise in unique stem cell-based models related to neural development and disease.