Fee Schedule
Project consultation fees are determined by mutual agreement. Rates for all other services are available by contacting Krishna Prasadan, PhD.
Scheduling Process and User Policies
- Reservation System
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All users with all work requests completed may reserve blocks of time for imaging. Staff-assisted services are available from 8:45 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Reservation requests for imaging by an individual trained users outside of regular business hours may be accommodated depending on the availability of Cell Imaging Core Laboratory staff.
- For investigators and their personnel located within the UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh campus, reservations may be made electronically through the UPMC network. The Reservation Form is accessible via Intranet or Internet.
- Investigators without access to the UPMC network can make reservations by contacting Krishna Prasadan, PhD.
Reservations may be modified at any time, provided that the desired new time slot is available. On the day of experimentation, users may view the online reservation calendar to check on a potentially available time slot. Users must contact Krishna Prasadan, PhD to confirm the actual schedule for that day. Staff may use any unfilled time for completion of imaging work requests with samples already at hand in the facility, or for instrument maintenance.
A reservation may be canceled on the day reserved for use by contacting Krishna Prasadan, PhD. Canceled reservations may not be charged. Habitual no-shows are discouraged and could incur a service charge for the unused reserved time.
- For investigators and their personnel located within the UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh campus, reservations may be made electronically through the UPMC network. The Reservation Form is accessible via Intranet or Internet.
- Work Requests and Sample Preparation
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All work requests, either self-operated or Cell Imaging Core Laboratory staff-assisted, require completion of a Work Request and Disclosure Form.
The Core is a multi-user facility. Investigator Disclosure is a means to ensure occupational safety for all users and to comply with Federal and University guidelines on the responsible conduct of research.
Investigators assume responsibility for IRB and IACUC compliance. The Core neither keeps nor monitors IRB or IACUC protocols.
Samples for image analysis may either be fixed or alive; but disclosure is required for safety and for special handling, as may be appropriate.
Sample preparation is the responsibility of users.
- Data Acquisition, Transfer, and Storage
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Experimental controls are the responsibility of users.
The Core recommends that controls include secondary antibody alone, primary antibody alone and irrelevant antibody be used. Assurance of quality of acquired data pertains only to staff-assisted work requests. Users must specify special handling and/or processing procedures in the work request form.
For all investigators, electronic storage media such as a flash card must be provided at the time of the work request or at the time of self-operation. Investigators assume responsibility for backing up and for storage of electronic data. The Core does not monitor data storage.
- Self-User Responsibility
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- Prospective self-users must undergo training for the use, care, and maintenance of instruments. Access to the facility instruments (Olympus Confocal and Laser Capture scopes only) is granted only upon successful completion of training by the activation of UPMC-issued identification badges.
- Actual time of usage must be reported after each use.
- Aberrations, shutdowns, and any untoward incident pertaining to the use of instruments must be reported immediately to Cell Imaging Core Laboratory staff.
- Cleanliness and order of work areas is a collective responsibility of all self-users.
- Microscope stages must be cleaned after each self-operation. Lenses must be free of any oil. Users must only use the oils present in the Cell Imaging Core Laboratory suite. No oil mixing is permitted.
- Self-users must adhere to the reserved time for use. Late start and end time is discouraged. Extension of use time is allowed only if schedule permits.
- In case of a personal emergency requiring immediate medical attention, users must call UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh security immediately at 412-692-5191.
- Users are responsible for copying their files immediately after image acquisition. The hard drives in the image facility will be erased regularly and without warning.
- Prospective self-users must undergo training for the use, care, and maintenance of instruments. Access to the facility instruments (Olympus Confocal and Laser Capture scopes only) is granted only upon successful completion of training by the activation of UPMC-issued identification badges.
Assurance of Access and Use of the Facility
The Cell Imaging Core Laboratory has a Statement of Trust and Assurance. Users may request a copy from the Core staff. Assurance is made for the availability of instruments at all times.
Users and investigators will be duly informed about the temporary unavailability of instruments, such as scheduled maintenance.
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