FIMM Technology Centre /

FIMM Extracellular Vesicles Core

Extracellular vesicles technology Core in the University of Helsinki is a joint venture of the Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM) and the Department of Biosciences/Faculty of Pharmacy. We are offering state-of-the-art and emerging EV technologies for research groups, hospitals, companies and authorities interested in EVs. In addition to our own technologies, we mediate contacts to various downstream analyses in other core facilities e.g. omics, for which we have optimized the EV sample input. The EV Core was established 2016 as the world´s first and globally unique EV technology core providing EV know-how and the necessary tools for characterization and downstream analyses of EVs.

The EV Core is divided to two units, where EV Core FIMM focuses on EVs from liquid biopsy samples, including isolation and analysis of EV-RNA as well as electron microscopy samples. EV Core Viikki is dedicated to the characterization of EVs using particle analysis instruments, and functional assays. Both units work together to develop SOPs for sample handling, EV isolations and downstream applications and to test new methods. EV core focuses on increasing its capacity and service portfolio in collaboration with companies and biobanks in a project funded by Academy of Finland. The main goal is to set up equipment and workflows for single-particle analyses and high-throughput sample preparation for EV-RNA applications.

New customers or projects

Please contact the EV-unit personnel to discuss the experimental setup: ev-core@helsinki.fi

FIMM EV Core Services

The expertise of the FIMM EV Core encompasses

EV isolation
Electron microscopy sample preparation
EV-RNA Sample Preparation
Other services by request
Equipment
Personnel

EV isolation

UC2

EV Core provides EV isolation by both traditional and novel methods suited to the special requirements of each sample type and down-stream analysis. Please contact: ev-core@helsinki.fi.

Electron microscopy sample preparation

EM stain Web_EV

Electron microscopy (EM) is one of the basic characterization techniques used to verify the success of EV isolation and to detect specific antigens such as EV marker proteins directly in situ. EM allows visualization and quantification of the morphology, size distribution and labelling of the EVs. It also gives information about the purity of EV preparations.

EM service of the EV Core provides characterization of EVs particularly in the size range of:

  • Exosomes
  • Microvesicles

EV Core FIMM provides EM and immuno-EM sample preparation using negative staining protocol and microscopy of the EV samples. Basic solutions and disposables are provided. The suspension buffer of the EV sample should preferably be filtered with 0,1-0.2 µm filter to deplete any external particles in the sample. For best EM results, the particle concentration of the sample should be measured by Nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) at EV Core Viikki. The sample aliquots for NTA and EM can be submitted to the EV Core simultaneously.

EV core facility collaborates with the EM unit, Institute of Biotechnology, Viikki

EV-RNA Sample Preparation

EV RNA Service

EV Core provides RNA isolation from EV samples using methods suited to low RNA amounts. RNA can be used in any down-stream application including next-generation sequencing.

EV-core FIMM provides RNA-isolation from the EV samples and, optionally, quality check of the RNA samples with the Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer or TapeSpation 4200 systems. All solutions and disposables are provided.

EV core facility links with the FIMM Technology Centre's Sequencing and HiPrep units.

Other services by request

The EV Core members are engaged in various EV research projects and therefore continuously test and develop methods in the field. Please contact: ev-core@helsinki.fi.

Equipment

Chemagic2

MaxWell RSC48 (Promega)

  • Nucleic acid isolation
  • Medium throughput, processing up to 48 samples simultaneously
  • Uses Maxwell® RSC prefilled cartridges, which reduce variability and contamination risk in sample processing

Chemagic 360 (Perkin Elmer)

  • Nucleic acid isolation
  • High-throughput processing up to 96 samples simultaneously

Bravo NGS workstation (Agilent Technologies)

  • Liquid handling / sample preparation
  • High-throughput processing up to 96 samples simultaneously (installed in summer 2021)

TapeStation 4200 (Agilent Technologies)

  • Nucleic acid quality control
  • Capacity up to 96 samples per run
  • Measures DV200, RIN values, concentration estimation