Human Neuron Unit

Boston Children’s Hospital’s Human Neuron Unit offers a new paradigm for disease modeling and preclinical drug screening in an academic setting. The mission of the core is to help establish human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived model systems for neurological disorders as well as provide support for preclinical research developing phenotypic assays and screens to identify novel therapeutic targets.

Staff

Assistant Director
Neuronal Phenotype Assays

Nina Makhortova, MD, PhD    Email >

Assistant Director
Neuronal Differentiation 

Dosh Whye, MA, BA                  Email >

Assistant Director
Assay Development and Screening
Lee Barrett, PhD
Email >

Assistant Director
CRISPR modifications
Cidi Chen, PhD
Email >

Contact Us

Elizabeth Buttermore, PhD Director, Translational In Vitro Models
Email >

Location:
Center for Life Sciences, 3 Blackfan Circle, CLS 12160.1-Boston, MA 02115, CLS 12160.4, 12161, 12163, and 12121

 

HNC Services & Fees

If you are new to us, and desire more information, these links offer detailed descriptions of our Equipment and Services.

 

The Human Neuron Differentiation Service provides well-characterized human iPSC- derived neurons to academic investigators and industry collaborators to support translational research programs.

To initiate these services, please contact Elizabeth Buttermore >  And fill out the Service Request Form >

Differentiation Service Internal BCH External Academic External Industry
Project planning fee (per new project) $290 $377 $493
Access to control iPSC line (per line) $382 $497 $650
iPSC installation (per line, 5 vials) $872 $1,133 $1,482
iPSC expansion (per line, 20 vials) $1,680 $2,184 $2,856
2D spinal motor neurons (2wo) (1 batch = two 10cm) $1,640 $2,131 $2,788
2D spinal motor neurons (2wo, dissociated) (1 batch = two 10cm) $1,857 $2,415 $3,157
EB spinal motor neurons (4wo) (1 batch = two 10cm)  $1,455 $1,892 $2,474
EB spinal motor neurons (4wo, dissociated) (1 batch = two 10cm) $1,752 $2,277  $2,979
Monolayer sensory neurons (8wo) (1 batch = two 10cm)  $1,726 $2,245 $2,936
Monolayer sensory neurons (8wo, dissociated) (1 batch = two 10cm)  $1,945  $2,528  $3,306
Monolayer cortical neurons (10wo) (1 batch = two 10cm)  $2,229  $2,898  $3,788
NGN2 cortical neurons (1wo) (1 batch = two 10cm)  $931  $1,211  N/A
NGN2 cortical neurons (1wo, dissociated) (1 batch = two 10cm)  $1,138  $1,478  N/A
NGN2 cortical neurons (2wo) (1 batch = two 10cm)  $1,537  $1,998  N/A
NGN2 cortical neurons (3wo) (1 batch = two 10cm)  $1,796  $2,334  N/A
iGABA neurons (1wo, dissociated) (1 batch = two 10cm) $1,189 N/A N/A
iGABA neurons (5wo) (1 batch = two 10cm) $3,318 N/A N/A
iPSC maintenance (per line, per week) $104 $136  $177
MEA plating (reagents) ((1) 48-well plate)  $128  $167  $218
MEA plating (labor) (1-3 plates)  $208  $271  $354
MEA plating (labor) (4-6 plates)  $416  $541  $708
MEA plating (labor) (7-10 plates)  $624  $812  $1,061
MEA plate (1 plate)  $400  $420  $495
MEA glia for plating (1-3 plates)  $625 $625 $625
MEA glia for plating (4-6 plates) $1,250 $1,250 $1,250
MEA glia for plating (7-10 plates) $1,875 $1,875 $1,875
MEA media changing (reagents) (per plate for 1 week) $156  $203  $266
MEA media changing (labor) (per week) (1-3 plates)  $76  $99  $130
MEA media changing (labor) (per week) (4-6 plates)  $152  $198  $259
MEA media changing (labor) (per week) (7-10 plates)  $228  $297  $388
High content imaging – plating (reagents) (per 1 96-well plate)  $58  $76  $99
High content imaging – plating (labor) (1-3 plates)  $208  $271  $354
High content imaging – plating (labor) (4-6 plates)  $416  $541  $708
High content imaging – plating (labor) (7-10 plates)  $624  $812  $1,061
High content imaging – media changing (reagents) (per plate)  $116  $151  $198
High content imaging – media changing (labor) (per week) (1-3 plates)  $76  $99  $130
High content imaging – media changing (labor) (per week) (4-6 plates)  $152  $198  $259
High content imaging – media changing (labor) (per week) (7-10 plates) $228  $297  $388
IncuCyte analysis (per experiment)  $318  $414  $541
MACS sorting (reagents) (per sample)  $48  $63  $82
MACS sorting (labor) (per 2 samples)  $132  $172  $225

 

Service Request Form > Service Request – Sample Procurement > Service Request – iPSC >

The Phenotyping Service provides high content image analysis, multi-electrode array functional analyses, and targeted RNA sequencing of iPSC-derived neurons to help answer fundamental biological questions by establishing assays that screening.

To initiate these services, please contact Elizabeth Buttermore > And fill out the Service Request Form >

Phenotyping Service Internal BCH External Academic External Industry
Project planning fee (per new project) $290 $377 $493
MEA recording (per recording) $49 $64 $84
MEA data analysis (per plate) (multiple time points) $439 $571 $747
High content imaging – image capture (per plate) $162 $211 $276
High content imaging – data analysis (per experimental endpoint or algorithm) $665 $865 $1,131
Fixing and staining (reagents) (per plate) $122 $159 $208
Fixing and staining (labor) (1-3 plates) $318 $414 $541
Fixing and staining (labor) (4-6 plates) $636 $827 $1,082
Fixing and staining (labor) (7-10 plates) $954 $1,241 $1,622
Drug treatment dose response (per drug) $289 $376 $492
Drug treatment (one dose; one daily exchange) $81 $106 $138
IncuCyte imaging (per day) $58 $76 $99
IncuCyte analysis (per experiment) $318 $414 $541
MACS sorting (reagents) (per sample) $48 $63 $82
MACS sorting (labor) (per 2 samples) $132 $172 $225
LDH assay (reagents) (per sample) $1.16 $1.50 $1.96
LDH assay (labor) (per experiment) $81 $106 $138
Collection of cells for RNA extraction (1 batch of lines) $81 $106 $138
RNA extraction (reagents) (per sample) $7 $10 $12
RNA extraction (labor) (1-6 samples) $243 $316 $414
qPCR reagents (per sample) $12 $16 $21
qPCR reagents (per project additional costs; per taqman primer/probe purchased) $87 $114 $148
qPCR labor (per plate) $162 $211 $276
AmpliSeq targeted RNA Sequencing (per sample) $315 $410 $536

 

Service Request Form > Service Request – Sample Procurement > Service Request – iPSC >

The expanded Assay Development and Screening Facility provides multiple live-cell screening platforms that can assess image- and activity-based measures of live neurons in a medium/high-throughput capacity. This facility also includes robotics and liquid handlers to improve the reproducibility of experiments across screening endeavors.

To initiate these services, please email Lee Barret >

Instrument Internal BCH External Academic External Industry
Molecular Devices ImageXpress Micro Confocal $60/hr weekdays
$30/hr nights & weekends
Contact for Pricing Contact for Pricing
IXM Analysis computer 1 $10/hr Contact for Pricing Contact for Pricing
IXM Analysis computer 2 $10/hr Contact for Pricing Contact for Pricing
IXM Analysis computer 3 $10/hr Contact for Pricing Contact for Pricing
Spinnaker liquid handling cell automation system $6.25/hr Contact for Pricing Contact for Pricing
ThermoFisher Arrayscan XTi $45/hr weekday
$22.50/hr nights & weekends
Contact for Pricing Contact for Pricing
Arrayscan Remote Disk Based Scan Access $15/hr Contact for Pricing Contact for Pricing
Hamamatsu $45/hr Contact for Pricing Contact for Pricing
Agilent Bravo liquid handler $20/hr weekdays
$10/hr nights & weekends
Contact for Pricing Contact for Pricing
Agilent Bravo liquid handler in screening room $20/hr Contact for Pricing Contact for Pricing
Formulatrix Matrix Liquid Handler $60/hr Contact for Pricing Contact for Pricing
Axion Maestro MEA $20/hr $26/hr $34/hr
Axion MEA + CO2  $38/hr $44/hr $52/hr
BSC hood  $15/hr $18/hr
Integra Viaflo 96/384 $15/hr $20/hr $25/hr
IncuCyte S3 Live Cell Analysis $10/hr $13/hr $17/hr
IncuCyte S3 Live Cell Imaging $48/day $66/day  $90/day
Echo Revolve Fluorescent Microscope  $15/hr $17/hr
Integra Voyager II Pipette 12-channel; 5-125ul  $10/hr $13/hr $17/hr
Integra Voyager II Pipette 8-channel; 10-300ul  $10/hr $13/hr $17/hr