Access

The Cell Imaging Facility operates on availability and fee-per-service basis. Individuals may use confocal/multi-photon microscopes either independently or with the assistance of the staff. However, individuals must be trained before using microscopes independently.

Training

All users must undergo training sessions in order to use the instruments independently in the Facility. We run training sessions as required and, usually, we try to group 2-3 persons per session in order to save time and cost for the labs. For training, please contact Dr. Sun or staffs (below). Here is some practical information for training:

• We usually run training sessions within 2 weeks of the requests.
• Please book a training session with us ONLY if you could start your microscope session within 2-3 weeks after the training.
• You can check instrumentation availability with the link (please note the pull-down menu for individual instrument)
• Usually a training session last 2-3 hrs for light microscope and 2X3hrs sessions for TEM. You are required to come back within 2 weeks with your own samples under our supervision in order to practice.
• There is no need to bring your own samples for the training session.
• It is helpful for us to have some ideas about your applications prior to the training.
• please note that all trainings are charged as assisted usage hours.

Policy regarding collaboration of offsite users with Department of Oncology researchers:
It is up to individual collaborators to divide the charge for the bill. In the situation where offsite users are actually carrying out experiments for onsite users, a written notice must be given to Dr. Sun prior to the start of the experiments. Otherwise, both the onsite and offsite user are responsible for the charge if any disagreement arises. In the notice, the following information must be included:

• A brief description of the project.
• Explicit description for how the charges will be divided between labs.
• Amount of confocal time will be needed for the project.
• Starting and ending date of the project.
• The name(s) of the person(s) who will use the confocal microscope.
• Signatures of both onsite and offsite collaborators.

• Users are responsible to back up their own data. The Facility bears no responsibility in loss of data due to hardware failure or accidental deletion of data.
• All data should be located in folders clearly identifiable to the user in their lab folders. No data file should be placed on system drives (usually C or D drives) or on desktop.
• Any file left on computers older than 6 months; > 1Gig and/or not-identifiable by the Facility to whom it belongs to could be deleted without warning or it will be backed up by the facility at the cost of $50/DVD or CD.