Rates & Policies (We do not currently provide user or laboratory spending caps, please inquire for high-volume policy)

Rates
FY 2024_25 rates

IMPORTANT

This is a shared use facility that is utilized by many researchers who expect the equipment to be in proper working order. Microscopes, computers and peripheral equipment are expensive to repair and time spent on maintenance is at the expense of the users. Please be courteous to others and be responsible and careful when operating the microscopes. If you ever have any questions or concerns, please contact the Director.

Signing Up for Equipment  

Users should sign up for equipment only one week or less in advance of use. For complex experiments, special arrangements can be made with the Director. Use for every system must be documented in the Excel log sheet located on the Desktop (even if it is just to copy some files). If you log on to the PC, log it in the Excel sheet. If there is no Excel entry, you will be billed at imaging rates and for any misuse fees (see misuse policy).

Usage Limits

  • Labs are limited to 6 hours of use per day between 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM.Consult the Director if you need to reserve more time on the microscope.
  • Do not book more time than you need; abuse will result in billing of unused time.
  • Image acquisition takes priority over image analysis. Please use the Hulk or Imaris CellSens workstations for data analysis.
  • Start your session punctually. Repeat over-scheduling will result in billing for the full scheduled time, not just hours used, and for any misuse fees (see misuse policy).

Cancelling Sessions:

  • If you need to cancel your session, go to your reservations in the Campus Calendar and delete, as long as they have not already started, or, contact the Director.
  • Repeated “no-shows” will result in billing of all scheduled time and possible suspension of user privileges (see misuse policy).
  • You are responsible for making sure the equipment was turned off by the previous user.  This is especially important if you cancelled your reservation the same day or just before your start time. Lack of proper shut down for any equipment will result in billing for the entire time the equipment was on and other misues fees (see misuse policy).

Using the Microscopes

A binder containing detailed policy for the different microscopes is available in the facility.

The LMCF requires users to have a University IdentiKey or  for facility personal to be present. At the end of your session, check the EMS Calendar; if someone will be utilizing the instrument after you, please leave it on and log out of your IdentiKey account, otherwise shut down the instrument. Be thoughtful, contact the next user if you finish early. Turn each microscope on or off as described in the manual and/or as trained; don't turn on components you won't use. Follow all current cleaning and PPE polciy.

No alcohol or mind altering drugs may be used by anyone using the LMCF; if the Director suspects this is the case, you will be asked to leave the facility. Horse play and practical jokes will not be tolerated at any time. Do not leave any specimens or samples in the facility, dispose of them in your lab. Properly clean up your workspace and any oil objectives you used. Lack of proper facility edicate will not be toloarted and privillages to use the facility will be revoked. If you are not sure how to properly clean an objective or operate the equipment please ask for help. In general - when in doubt ASK FOR HELP! 

Anyone imaging cells, live samples, tissues or rodents must follow their principal investigators lab safety protocol and standard operating procedure and IACUC approved protocols for animal use and care. LMCF Standard Operating Procedure for transporting samples including live human and animal-derived cell lines, tissues and rodents to the LMCF, handling them in the LMCF and transporting them from the LMCF when finished are in the link.

The LMCF is not responsible for data storage. We do have some secured storage space provided by the university and Microsoft Teams if needed. Any image or other data files left on the computer hard-drives should be considered as temporary, and may be deleted or lost due to hard-drive failure. If a hard drive is full, any user has the authority to remove data so they can successfully complete their experiment, they are encouraged to delete the oldest data first, but you're at their mercy! Move your data to other storage devices at the end of your session and store your data on a secure server that meets university and NIH or other funding agency criteria; NIH data management and sharing policy. Each user is provided wit OneDrive space via the university, it is recommended this be used for data shared with others for collaboration, each laboratory is provided with secure data storage by the university in Microsoft Teams, please ask your PI about this, these data can be shared within the department. Please contact OIT with data storage questions as there are several additional options available. Finally, please don't leave an excessive amount of data on the facility computers; the computers can quickly get over-loaded causing problems with the performance of the system(s).

*We do not currently provide user or laboratory spending caps, please inquire for high-volume policy