About our service
Otago Micro and Nanoscale Imaging (OMNI) is a collaboration of four specialised units based within the University of Otago Dunedin campus.
We bring together a depth of expertise in a range of techniques and disciplines at the forefront of imaging capability. Specialist expertise and instrumentation is available in:
- Confocal and light microscopy, and µCT scanning
- Electron microscopy
- Flow cytometry
- Histology
Our staff can provide consultation and advice about appropriate research design, preparation, and implementation. We cater for training and support of independent equipment users, and have expert staff to provide contracted preparation and imaging services.
Academic Advisory Group
The OMNI Academic Advisory Group's role is to:
- Provide advice on research infrastructure relevant to OMNI
- Assess and report to the overall Divisional Research Infrastructure Governance Group (Division of Health Sciences), on significant emergent developments in academic research fields relevant to OMNI
- Provide advice and make recommendations on the operation of OMNI
Academic Advisory Group members
Associate Professor Pete Jones
Academic Advisory Group Chair
Email pete.jones@otago.ac.nz
Associate Professor Mihnea Bostina
Director, Electron Microscopy
Email mihnea.bostina@otago.ac.nz
Dr Laura Gumy
Academic Leader, Confocal Microscopy
Email laura.gumy@otago.ac.nz
Dr Kirsten Ward-Hartstonge
Academic Leader, Flow Cytometry
Email kirsten.ward-hartstonge@otago.ac.nz
Professor Dave Prior
Department of Geology
Email: david.prior@otago.ac.nz
Dr Karen Reader
Acting Operations Manager OMNI
Department of Anatomy
Email omni@otago.ac.nz
Associate Professor Tania Slatter
Academic Leader, Histology
Email tania.slatter@otago.ac.nz
User groups
Each OMNI unit has a user group which consists of:
- Staff from University of Otago departments who have a high usage of the unit's equipment and services
- Staff from the respective OMNI unit
The user groups:
- Provide feedback to ensure that OMNI policies are appropriate and enhance affordable access to shared equipment and expertise for existing and potential future users
- Suggest improvements that enhance the value OMNI provides to the research community
- Highlight issues that hinder affordable access to and affect the practicality of conducting research at OMNI, and escalating these issues to the Divisional Research Infrastructure Governance Group if they cannot easily be resolved by the user community
- Ensure that common areas and shared equipment (and equipment settings) meet the needs of OMNI users
- Act as a hub and a conduit for the reciprocal flow of information from users to OMNI management and the Divisional Research Infrastructure Governance Group
- Provide a forum for technical staff to interact with and update multiple users at once
- Promote OMNI to researchers on and off campus
- Appraise and update others on research conducted in the facility
User groups report to the OMNI Academic Advisory Group.
User group contacts
Confocal microscopy:
Dr Laura Gumy (Chair)
Email laura.gumy@otago.ac.nz
Dr Karen Reader, OMNI Operations Manager
Dr Robert Woolley, OMNI Confocal Microscopy Technical Manager
Ms Rose Smither, OMNI Confocal Microscopy
Dr Bruce Mockett, Department of Psychology
Dr Michelle Munro, Department of Physiology
Ms Mel Prescott, Department of Physiology
Associate Professor Martin Fronius, Department of Physiology
Mr David Finlay, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Electron microscopy:
Associate Professor Mihnea Bostina (Chair)
Email mihnea.bostina@otago.ac.nz
Dr Karen Reader, Operations Manager, OMNI
Mr Richard Easingwood, Technical Manager, Electron Microscopy
Marianne Negrini, Geology, Division of Sciences
Dr Peter Mace, Biochemistry, School of Biomedical Sciences
Associate Professor Carla Meledandri, Department of Chemistry
Dr Monica Tromp, Archeology Department
Ms Alice Eruera, Microbiology and Immunology
Mr Remy Muhsin, Microbiology and Immunology
Flow cytometry:
Dr Kirsten Ward-Hartstonge (Chair)
Email kirsten.ward-hartstonge@otago.ac.nz
Dr Karen Reader, OMNI Operational Manager
Ms Michelle Wilson, OMNI Flow Cytometry, Committee member and technical representative
Dr Silke Neumann, Department of Pathology, Deputy Chair
Dr Leah Smith, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Committee member
Dr Naomi Daniels, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Committee member
Histology:
Associate Professor Tania Slatter (Chair)
Email tania.slatter@otago.ac.nz
Dr Karen Reader, Operations Manager, OMNI
Mr Robert Porteous, Histology Technical Manager
Professor Rebecca Campbell, Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences
Associate Professor Anita Dunbier, Biochemistry, School of Biomedical Sciences
Dr Melanie Millier, Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine
Associate Professor Lyn Wise, Pharmacology & Toxicology, School of Biomedical Sciences
Professor Stephanie Woodley, Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences