Frequently Asked Questions

Services can be requested by emailing path-rhl@duke.edu or brpc.duke.edu. Please see the list of the types of services BRPC can offer, if your project includes includes more than just histology services please select the project type as listed on this page.

RHL #

Tissue Handling

FEE

1

Fix-specimen (10% Neutral Buffered Formalin)

$3.00

2

Handling wet tissue (placement into cassette) or fine trim specimen

$8.00

3

Relabel cassette or replace cover slip on slide

$4.80

 

Decalcification

 

4

Small (per specimen)

$9.60

5

Large (per specimen)

$18.56

6

Create/embed cell pellets (per specimen)

$32.50

 

Processing & Embedding in Paraffin, per specimen

 

7

Routine

$9.66

8

Whole eyes

$11.75

9

Large for 2X3 slides

$15.21

 

Facing Cassette & and First Section (slide or tube)

 

10

Routine

$6.95

11

Routine with molecular precautions

$9.95

12

Large, 2X3 slides

$28.00

13

Large, 2X3 slides with molecular precautions

$36.00

14

Whole eyes

$11.25

15

Whole eyes with molecular precautions

$16.00

16

20 micron thick sections (per slide only)

$32.00

 

Serial Sectioning (slide or tube), per section

 

17

Serial section, routine specimen

$4.25

18

Serial section, molecular precautions

$8.00

19

Serial section, large specimen and whole eyes

$7.75

20

Serial section, large specimen and whole eyes, molecular precautions

$16.25

21

Step section, routine specimen

$6.75

22

Step section, molecular precautions

$12.50

23

Step section, large specimen and whole eyes

$9.25

24

Step section, large specimen or whole eyes, molecular precautions

$18.25

 

Frozen Sections

 

25

Embed in OCT if necessary, rapidly freeze tissue

$18.00

26

Cut slides, face block, and first slide

$33.00

27

Additional sections (per section)

$18.00

28

Fix cut slides, formalin, acetone, or alcohol-based (per slide)

$5.00

 

H&E Staining, per slide

 

29

H&E performed on one unstained FFPE or frozen section slide

$7.25

30

H&E stain for 2X3 slide or larger

$14.25

31

H&E stain of prosthetic intraocular lens

$33.95

 

Special Staining (paraffin unless indicated), per slide

 

32

Congo red

$20.00

33

Iron (Prussian Blue)

$20.00

34

Luxol fast blue

$20.00

35

Mikat (combined Trichrome & Elastic stain)

$20.00

36

Masson trichrome

$20.00

37

Martius scarlett blue (MSB)

$20.00

38

Oil red O (Frozen sections ONLY)

$20.00

39

Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS)

$20.00

40

Periodic Acid Schiff with Diastase (PASD)

$20.00

41

Toluidine blue

$20.00

42

Other special stains (not listed above)

$38.00

 

Immunohistochemistry & Digital Spatial Profiling

 

43

Titer one antibody and optimize detection method

$1,400.00

44

Single antibody or probe on one slide (charged multiple times for multiplex, control included) (per slide)

$39.06

45

Pass-through DUHS IHC Lab First Ab (per slide)

$39.06

46

Pass-through DUHS Image cytometry single Ab Manual

$64.82

47

Pass-through DUHS Image cytometry single Ab Comp Asst

$76.56

48

Pass-through DUHS IHC Lab unlisted charges

Contact

49

Nanostring project administration

$400.00

50

Nanostring tech time, antigen retrieval, probe hybridization, 5 hours, 12 slides

$500.00

51

Nanostring tech time, selection for ROI or additional probe labeling, per 30 min

$50.00

52

Nanostring path time

$175.00

53

10X genomics project admin

$400.00

54

10X genomics path consult for ROI, per 15 min

$100.00

55

10X genomics OCT block scoring for ROI, per block

$2.50

56

10X genomics fine trim, per section

$2.50

57

10X genomics 6 additional sections and placement on same optimization slide, per block

$61.08

 

Miscellaneous

 

58

Tech time (30 minute increment)

$75.00

59

Pathologist consultation (30 minute increment)

$150.00

60

20-place slide folder

$5.60

61

25-place slide box

$11.25

62

100-place slide box

$14.40

63

Consumables/Non listed lab supplies

Contact

64

Expedite $0-$500 job

$100.00

65

Expedite $501-$1,500

$300.00

66

Expedite $1,501-$3,000

$600.00

67

Expedite >$3,000: Please speak with lab

Contact

 

Archival paraffin case request (per case)

$24.50

 

Pathologist case review/approval for cutting (per case)

$30.00

 

Manual coring with or without re-embedding (per block)

$77.00

 

Whole slide image of standard 1x3 slide at 20X or 40X, single plain (per slide)

$7.50

 

De-identify a WSI file (per slide)

$4.60

 

Return WSI to investigator by data transfer (internet/ media based, media purchased separately) (per batch transfer)

$65.00

 

 

Price lists for CHTN investigators can be found here: CHTN Price List

 

Turnaround time varies depending on the project, specific services requested, and the number of samples involved in the project. Please submit your requests using the online form as this will allow staff to more quickly asses the workload and provide an estimate on project completion date.

Yes – please clearly state on your request form that you have provided your own and label the containers to make sure they are used and returned to you.

Yes – please clearly state on your request form that you would like them returned and label the containers to make sure they are returned to you. If we do not have an indication that your container should be saved, it may be disposed of.

Yes – we can only ensure your samples are both returned to you and handled per your specifications if we can match them with a list. Providing a typed list also ensures the lab can accurately label any slides, as handwriting on blocks often smears during processing.

No – our lab is open daily from 9:30-11AM and 3-4:30PM. Please feel free to stop in during these hours and someone will be available to assist you. Staff may be working in other lab spaces outside of these times, so please contact us if you need to make other arrangements.

Ask staff about current turnaround time (this depends on project size, complexity, current staffing, and other pending projects) – a rush may not be necessary for the project to be completed by your deadline.

We used charged slides manufactured by Cancer Diagnostics for the majority of our output. We also stock FisherBrand SuperFrost (recommended for IHC work), Cancer Diagnostics uncharged, and FisherBrand ProbeOn Plus slides, which can also be used upon request. If you have your own slides that you would like the lab to use, those may be provided during project drop off.

Our molecular precautions procedure requires our technicians to spray down all equipment and tools with an RNAse inhibiting spray, use molecular grade bottled water in waterbaths, wear gloves, and change microtome blades between individual samples. We always use this procedure when alerted that samples will be used for RNA extraction, and strongly encourage it for DNA extraction as well. This procedure is not necessary for standard staining or immunohistochemistry.

Yes – please contact Dr. Zuowei Su directly for any questions relating to IHC antibodies and work ups.

Yes – please let us know your samples will need extraction so we can coordinate with Dr. Xufeng Chen, who provides this service.

Yes – please let us know which slides need to be imaged and we will do so after staining. Alternatively, slides stained prior may also be sent for imaging only.