Dietschy Facility for Tissue Science

The Dietschy Facility supports researchers in the systematic investigation of individual cells within intact tissues. 

The behavior of cells is shaped by its surroundings: its location, neighboring cells, molecular signals and the tissue architecture. Studying individual cells within intact tissues preserves this biological context, allowing researchers to map cellular organization and determine how local environments influence cell function. 

Studying cells in their natural environment 
This integrative approach is particularly important in neuroscience. The brain contains many specialized nerve cells whose function depends on their location, connectivity and molecular profiles. Linking gene activity with neuronal activity and behavior can reveal how molecular differences affect neural circuits and why certain brain regions are particularly vulnerable to disease. 

Recent advances in imaging, molecular analysis and data science make it possible to study these relationships in unprecedented detail. The Dietschy Facility for Tissue Science provides an interdisciplinary platform to systematically investigate individual cells within intact tissues, with an initial focus on neuroscience. 

Interdisciplinary research platform 
The facility provides user-friendly workflows for processing, storing, integrating and visualizing large-scale neuronal, behavioral, imaging and molecular datasets to uncover relationships between gene expression, neuronal activity, and behavior. It also offers advanced statistical and machine-learning analyses as well as training and consultation for high-dimensional data.