Research Institute Core Facilities & Resources

There are over a dozen scientific core facilities at the SickKids Research Institute (RI). These core facilities provide researchers across the research community, internal and external to SickKids, access to specialized technical platforms, scientific expertise, and highly skilled personnel to enhance the scope and quality of their health research.

Operated on a cost recovery model, these facilities offer state-of-the-art instrumentation, consultation, and research design services that are typically too specialized or costly for individual laboratories to maintain.

World-class facilities for your research

Enhance the scope and quality of your research. Conduct your studies in a world-class setting equipped with new technologies and infrastructure – check out our facilities below and learn what our distinct research design services can offer you.

The Centre for Computational Medicine (CCM)

The Center for Computational Medicine (CCM) provides scientists and clinicians at SickKids with computational expertise, including High Performance Computing resources, Bioinformatics Analysis consulting and software development. The CCM also works with biological/medical and computational scientists at SickKids to identify appropriate collaborators.

Visit the CCM

Mass Cytometry analysis of formaldeyde-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues

The Centre for Advanced Single Cell Analysis (CASCA)

The Centre for Advanced Single Cell Analysis (CASCA) provides technical platforms and scientific expertise to perform “deep” immune profiling of single cells using mass cytometry and single cell RNA-Seq. Our platforms offer unprecedented depth for analyzing single cells in suspension or tissue sections from mice or humans for discovery and translational research projects.

Visit CASCA

SickKids-UHN Flow Cytometry Facility (FCF)

The Flow Cytometry Facility (FCF) provides academic and corporate clients access to several state-of-the-art analytical flow cytometers and high-speed cell sorting services. The FCF also offers comprehensive training and education, as well as expert consultation services, to help users leverage our technology to elevate their research.

Visit FCF

Imaging Facility

The Imaging Facility provides a full range of biological imaging solutions for life sciences research. The facility contains a wide array of the latest technologies in biological imaging, which are available to all researchers on a user-cost basis.

Visit the Imaging Facility

Nanoscale Biomedical Imaging Facility

The Nanoscale Biomedical Imaging Facility provides microscopy services to scientists throughout Toronto and around the world. The Centre combines state-of-the-art equipment and technical expertise in a user-friendly environment.

Visit NBIF

The Research MEG Facility

The Research Magnetoencephalography (MEG) Facility provides scientists access to a non-invasive functional neuroimaging technique that allows investigation of human brain activity on a millisecond timescale. 

Visit MEG Facility

The Research MRI Facility

The Research MRI Facility provides a wide range of human and animal-model magnetic resonance imaging capabilities to Toronto-area scientists. Imaging is performed on a Siemens 3T PrismaFit system.

Visit MRI Facility

Structural & Biophysical Core Facility

The Structural & Biophysical Core (SBC) Facility is a shared instrument facility specializing in biophysical methods for investigating biomolecular structure, dynamics, stability, and interactions.

Visit the SBC

A scientist stands in a lab working at a large computer used to sequence genomes

The Centre for Applied Genomics (TCAG)

The Centre for Applied Genomics (TCAG) is a hub for groundbreaking research in genomics, including service and training support for academic, government, and private sector scientists worldwide.

Visit TCAG

The Centre for Phenogenomics (TCP)

The Centre for Phenogenomics (TCP) is a centralized, state-of-the-art national research facility. TCP’s animal resources, model production, clinical phenotyping, infection and inflammation, imaging, pathology, and cryopreservation and recovery services are available to researchers worldwide.

Visit TCP

Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, a large tower in downtown Toronto.

TCP Mouse Mutant Repository (CMMR)

Located at The Centre for Phenogenomics, the CMMR provides access to a range of services, including publicly-available mouse lines and ES cells in its repository.

Learn about CMMR

SPARC BioCentre

SPARC BioCentre applies modern technologies, including mass spectrometry and amino acid analysis, to categorize biological systems on a molecular level.

Visit SPARC BioCentre

SPARC Drug Discovery

Drug discovery at SPARC includes high-throughput screening, high-content screening, Lentivirus and molecular archives.

Tour SPARC Drug Discovery Facility

Zebrafish Genetics and Disease Models Facility

The Zebrafish Genetics and Disease Models Facility provides a pipeline from human disease modeling to drug discovery using zebrafish as a model system.

Visit the Zebrafish Facility

Clinical Research Core Facilities

The Clinical Research Core Facilities operate on a cost recovery basis and are available to internal and external researchers.

The Clinical Research Centre (CRC) includes a fully equipped hospital research unit and trained clinical research staff to support all types of clinical research.
SickKids’ Central Biobank offers sample processing, storage and state-of-the-art database management.
The Analytics Hub offers study feasibility assessments (sample size calculations), methodological advice, research and trial design, statistical analyses, and manuscript/presentation support.
The Behavioural Assessment Unit (BAU) includes modern observational labs for conducting behavioural and cognitive assessments.

Interested in conducting your clinical research study at one of these facilities? Contact Clinical Research Operations more information.

Research equipment database

The Research Institute’s Equipment Database gives researchers access to over 3000 pieces of top-level research equipment used across SickKids’ labs and programs. Resource and knowledge sharing fosters collaboration amongst our research community, helping researchers view and advance projects from every perspective.

Navigating the database

Search equipment by keywords. (i.e. cell counter, microscope, cryostat, etc.)
Filter by floor or program
Important: Always request permission from the primary contact through email first
For a comprehensive search result (e.g. full equipment by floor, PI, lab, etc.), please contact Nancy Silva-Gagliardi or Craig Urekar.

Search equipment database

SickKids research databases

Access some of the largest and most comprehensive databases used by research communities at SickKids and around the globe to further the quality and scope of their health research.

The Database of Genomic Variants (DGV) provides a comprehensive summary of structural variations in the human genome. The database only represents structural variation identified in healthy control samples. The DGV’s useful catalog of control data is used in studies aiming to correlate genomic variation with phenotypic data. The database is continuously updated with new data from peer reviewed research studies, and is maintained by The Centre for Applied Genomics at SickKids.

Visit the DGV website

Documents mutations in the CFTR gene, and doubles as a resource for the international cystic fibrosis genetics research community.

View CF Mutation Database

A repository of DNA samples for future research aimed at identifying the genes that cause congenital heart disease, and to develop better ways to diagnose, prevent and treat heart disease in children and adults.

View Labatt Biobank

Along with the shRNA archive, these are two of the different database resources provided by the SickKids Proteomics, Analytics, Robotics & Chemical Biology Centre (SPARC).

Visit the SPARC BioCentre

Four hospitals, one goal. This central virtual registry facilitates postings and annotations of available samples from all CNS tumour cases across four Toronto University Hospitals: SickKids, St. Michael's, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, and UHN.

Learn about the Brain Tumour Bank Network

A part of a research program in paediatric health economic methods, this regularly updated database contains thousands of citations.

Learn about the PEDE Project

Pay your research invoice online

To make a credit card payment towards a SickKids Research Facility invoice, please follow the link below to access our secure payment gateway.

Pay Research Invoice