Indiana Center for Biological Microscopy
It is the objective of the Center to provide Indiana University researchers with an efficient state-of-the-art microscopy facility. Unlike many other imaging facilities, we emphasize hands-on access to the instruments for individual investigators. We believe this is the most effective arrangement for providing researchers with the kind of imaging data that they need, but it is only possible with the understanding and cooperation of the Center's users. With this cooperation, we can continue to prosper and to provide researchers with the most advanced imaging capabilities to enhance their research opportunities.
How to use the facility
The Center is available to anyone at Indiana University after providing
the Center with some basic information. To start, login to our calendar
(https://www.nephrology.iupui.edu/calendar/),
click on "If you are not yet a registered user for LoCal, please click
here.", enter the requested information and click submit. Then contact
Jeff Clendenon (jclende@iupui.edu)
to schedule a training session.
Except in special circumstances, the Center is available only during
the hours of 7a.m. to 6p.m. - Monday- Friday, when Facility staff are
available.
The Facility is organized around the principle of providing researchers with access to and training for the latest instruments in optical microscopy. As we lack the staff to conduct experiments for researchers, we expect researchers to work independently after completing a training session. Our new protocols page contains helpful information for prep of both live and fixed samples.
For those of you who plan to use the Microscopy Facility in your
research, please contact us for input on experimental design,
letters of support and descriptions of equipment. We have an extraordinary
imaging facility with capabilities that can enhance your chances of
successful funding. We can help you include this aspect of your research
into your grant application.
Training
Training sessions typically run 2 to 3 hours with at least one hour of hands on experience.
Everyone must go through the hands on portion of the training individually. Everyone must have their own
login. Although most of the training is done on standard slides, researchers are strongly encourage to
bring their own samples.
Anyone using facility equipment must be trained by facility staff. No exceptions!
Equipment Sign-Up
Because of the high rate of utilization and the amount of time required
to ensure that scopes are functioning properly, users must sign up in
advance to use the various instruments via an online sign-up system
at (https://www.nephrology.iupui.edu/calendar/).
Due to the investments from Nephrology and the Cancer Center, users
from these two groups are given priority for sign-ups, and are allowed
to sign up two weeks in advance. Other researchers can sign up one week
in advance. In general this arrangement does not cause problems as most
facility users are flexible enough that scheduling conflicts are accommodated
regardless of users' affiliations. Also note that special arrangements
can be made for experiments that must be scheduled further in advance,
such as with living tissues and cells.
Equipment fees for Fiscal Year 2008-2009
Internal Academic - Any IU affilated group on an IU campus
Cancer Center - Anyone affilated with the Wells Cancer Center
External Academic - Any academic individual/group not part of IU
Commercial - All commercial entities
| Internal Academic | Cancer Center | External Academic | Commercial | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category I - Spot camera systems and public workstations | $25/hr | $10/hr | $38/hr | $50/hr |
| Category II - Biorad, Olympus, Orca, Spinning Disc, Zeiss UV, Zeiss Meta | $55/hr | $25/hr | $95/hr | $135/hr |
| Tech Service or training | $55/hr + system rate | $55/hr + system rate | $55/hr + system rate | $55/hr + system rate |
Current fees till July 1, 2008
| Nephrology | Cancer Center | External Academic | External Commercial | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Confocal systems | $50/hr | $20/hr | $75/hr | $100/hr |
| Public workstations, spot cameras, API system | $25/hr | $10/hr | $38/hr | $50/hr |
| Full Assistance | $100/hr | $70/hr | $125/hr | $150/hr |
However, due to the limited number of staff hours, we can provide no more than 4 hours of assisted microscopy. As mentioned above, most laboratories provide a person to perform their imaging, and it is expected that projects requiring protracted effort will be conducted by trained members of the users' laboratories. Users will be billed based on the hours they have reserved on the Sign-up Page and the computer login records. Once signed, users are financially responsible for the assigned time and may cancel their reservation no later than 48 hours after making the reservation. After this time, users are released from their obligation only if they can find a replacement user.
Data Management
We are not responsible for the long-term storage and management of users’
image data. Users are not permitted to permanently store image data
on the microscope computers. Image files need to be removed from these
systems at the end of your session. Instructions are provided that explain
how to transfer data either to the user's own laboratory computer, or
into the user's folder on the facility servers (in-neph-toast, Image4,
or Image5). Users will be allowed temporary space on the facility
servers and workstations to provide for image processing, and for short-term storage
prior to copying to CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, or DVD-RW disks. Images should
not be stored on these systems for more than a week. IN-neph-toast has
the fastest DVD-RW for burning CDs or DVDs. If space is needed, older data on workstations,
servers, and microscope system will be deleted!
Images collected on Bio-Rad and Zeiss confocal microscopes can be viewed using free software Confocal Assistant, ImageJ, and LSM510-offline, respectively, which may be obtained from the software page on our website.
Responsibilities of All Users of the Facility
- Keeping excess oil off of the objectives and stage.
- Keeping the microscope areas clean and for removing all belongings after each session.
- If you happen to be the first or last scope user of the day, make sure that you know the procedure to startup or shutdown the system. (Instructions are available in each room)
- Any observed problems with system performance should be reported to Center Staff.
Acknowledgment of the Center
Published data obtained using facility equipment should include an acknowledgment
of "The Indiana Center for Biological Microscopy".
Text descriptions of the Facility are also available for researchers wishing to describe the Facility in grant applications, and Dr. Dunn can provide letters of consultation or collaboration, as needed. As we use the quantity of publications and grant applications involving the Facility to justify our productivity to the various entities that subsidize the Facility, we ask that users supply us with an updated list of publications and grant applications using the Facility every 6 months.
Communication
Users are encouraged to email any of the Facility personnel with questions,
suggestions, complaints and jokes. The topics of these correspondence will be
discussed at biweekly meetings of the Facility staff. Facility news, such as new
equipment and personnel, significant changes or problems
with equipment and observed egregious breaches in user decorum will be posted
on the facility website and emailed to the entire group of Center users.