The George and Olga Minarik Research Pathology Facility

The George and Olga Minarik Research Pathology Facility (RPF) is a comprehensive, full-service research facility dedicated to providing pathological and histological services. It operates as a core facility within the Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research (LDI) and is an integral part of the Montreal Center for Experimental Therapeutics in Cancer (MCETC).

The primary objective of the RPF is to support research at the LDI and accelerate translational research within the MCETC. The facility offers a wide array of services, including consultation for tissue preparation, paraffin processing and embedding, paraffin and frozen tissue sectioning, and curl sectioning. It also specializes in Tissue Microarray design, construction, and various staining techniques such as H&E, special stains (e.g., Masson Trichrome, Perl’s Iron, PAS), immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence (single and double staining).

Beyond preparation and staining, the RPF provides expert microscopic analysis by a pathologist and digital scanning at 20X or 40X. The facility emphasizes optimal tissue fixation and handling, offering detailed protocols for formalin fixation and frozen sample preparation to ensure the integrity and quality of specimens for reliable research outcomes. It serves investigators from the LDI, MCETC, other universities, and external companies.