The center consists of two facilities:

The light microscopy core is equipped with sophisticated, laser-scanning confocal microscopes that can be used, for example, to study molecular interactions within live cells or the distribution of molecules within human tissue. Renovation of the light microscopy core and purchase of a Zeiss LSM 510 META confocal and FCS system, a state-of-the art confocal microscope and fluorescence correlation spectrometer, was made possible with funds awarded through COBRE, a special program (Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence) that NIH designed to cultivate research expertise among junior faculty and strengthen the research infrastructure of states that do not receive as much NIH funding as some large states.

The electron microscopy core, housing a Hitachi 7500 TEM and a Hitachi 4700 field emission SEM, provides modern and powerful scanning and transmission electron microscopic capabilities, necessary for examining the fine ultrastructure of cells and tissue down to the level of individual molecules.

These facilities, complete with ancillary support equipment, are located in close proximity to each other within a suite of rooms housed in the medical school.