RULESFORTHEBIOIMAGINGFACILITYUSERS‐LiM‐iBiMED
The Light Microscopy facility (LiM) of the Institute of Biomedicine (iBiMED)
supports research on conventional and advanced light microscopy. It is
integratedinthePortuguesePlatformofBioimaging(PPBI),whichbelongstothe
National Roadmap of Research Infrastructures. It is equipped with various
microscopesthatareavailabletoiBiMEDandexternalresearchers.Italsooffers
advanced services to both intramural and extramural researchers. The main
objectives of the LiM are to provide : i) advanced microscopes for current
research in life and health sciences, ii) training on light microscopy to iBiMED
and visiting researchers, ii) expert advice on experiment design and image
analysis,iii)advancedmicroscopyworkshopsonlatesttechnologicaladvancesin
lightmicroscopy.
1.ACCESSTOTHELiMFacility
1.1) Users should read our microscope usage guidelines which have simple
rulesthathavetobefollowedwhenusingthemicroscopes.
1.2) There is a booking system for each microscope to schedule imaging
projects.
1.1)MicroscopeUsagePolicy
Fortrainedusers,useourbookingsystemthatwasmadeavailabletoyouafter
training.
Fornewusers,thefirstmicroscopysessionsarecarriedoutinthepresenceof
theLiMtechnician.Forthis,usershavetofillina‘Trainingrequestform’and
submitittotheLiMcoordinatorviaemail(cs‐[email protected]).
TRAININGRULES:
a. New iBiMED users will receive training on how to use the microscopes,
provided by the LiM technical staff. At the end of the training sessions a
‘Trainingcertificate”willbeissuedbyLiMcoordinator.
b. Thetrainingcertificateisnecessarytobookanduseeachmicroscope.
c. Each microscope has an adequate training time. Widefield microscopes
2hx2 training periods; confocal microscopes 3hx3 training periods – for
RoutineMethodologies.
d. Specific confocal methodologies (live imaging or FRAP and FRET) require
specifictraining.
BOOKINGGUIDELINES:
e. Utilizationofthemicroscopeswithoutpreviousreservationisprohibited.
f. Donotoverbook;
g. Bookingalterationsshouldbedoneatleast12hoursbeforethereservation
scheduled.
h. Usersmustalwaysusetheirownreservationtimeandshouldnotuseother
usersaccountstobookthemicroscopes.
i. Unqualified users cannot operate the microscopes in a qualified user
bookingperiod;
j. Minimumandmaximumbookingperiods:
‐ h1.Toextendthelifespanofthemicroscopesfluorescencelightsources,
thesehaveaminimumof1hofusageperslot.
‐ h2. Unless otherwise agreed with the LiM technician (e.g. for long‐term
and live‐imaging experiments), there is a maximum daily (5h/day) and
weekly(15h/week)usagetimeperuser.
PRACTICALRULESANDREPORTINGPROBLEMS:
k. Users should always use the TurnON and TurnOFF hardware protocols
(specificforeachequipment).
l. TheTurnOFFprotocolincludesthefollowingrules:
‐ Alwayscleantheimmersionobjectivesused;
‐ Alwaysleavethemicroscopein‘resting’position.
m. Gloves are not permitted when using the microscopes. The microscopes
areconsidered'clean'andlabcoatsareonlypermittedwhencarryingout
livecellimagingassays;
n. Itisimportantto:
‐ Indicatewhichlaserswillbeused.Inordertoextendlaserslifetimethey
shouldonlybeleftonifanotherpersonwilluseitinthenext2h.Ifnot,
turnitoff.
‐ Leave the Arc/Epifluorescence light source on only if another user will
useitinthefollowing1h.Ifnot,turnitoff.
o. Bytheendofeachsession,youshouldalwaysfillinthe‘logbook’located
onthesideofeachmicroscope.
p. Ifyoufindaproblemwithamicroscopeorevidenceofincorrectutilization
fillinthe‘logbook’andreportittotheLiMtechnician.
DATASTORAGE/HANDLING:
q. The local hard drives are not for long term data storage. Personal data
shouldberemovedonaregularbasis.Theharddiskwillbecleanedevery3
months.
r. Data should be copied to CD/DVD supports only, USB Flash drives are
forbidden.
s. Software installation or modification in the microscopes computers is
forbidden.
2.UTILIZATIONCOSTSandPIREGISTRY
t. A table containing the microscopes utilization costs is available in the
iBiMED webpage (Light Microscopy facility). The prices are calculated on
thebasisofcostsofthemicroscopesconsumablesandthetechnicianhours.
u. TheannualusageregistryforeachPIwillbeavailablebytheendofthecivil
year;whenrequestedbyaPI,amonthlyregistrycanalsobeproduced.
3.PUBLICATIONS:
Users should acknowledge the iBiMED LiM facility, a node of the
PortuguesePlatformofBioImaging(PPBI)inallpublications.Forexample,
in the Materials and Methods section: "image acquisition [and image analysis]
wasperformedintheLiMfacilityofiBiMED,anodeofPPBI(PortuguesePlatform
ofBioImaging)" or in the acknowledgments section "Theauthorswishtothank
[Technical staff] from the iBiMED Light Microscopy facility a node of PPBI
(PortuguesePlatformofBioImaging)”.
AcopyofallpublicationsshouldbesenttotheLiMtechnicalstaff,shortlyafter
thepapersarepublished.Thisinformationisnecessarytodemonstratetheuse
of the LiM instruments and the return of investment in future requests for
acquisitionofnewmicroscopes.
The mission of the LiM team is to guide and assist users in acquiring and
analysing images. Thus, LiM staff members are not included in the authors
list of publications. However, when a staff member has significantly
contributedtoapublicationitsnamemaybeincludedinthelistofauthors.
4.HOWTOBOOK?
Trainedusers
No?
Yes?
Procceedtothebookinglink
(googlecalendar)
Filla"Trainingrequestform"
andsenditto
cs‐[email protected]
Didyougeta
"Trainingcertificate”?
Unless otherwise agreed with the LiM technician (e.g. for long‐term and live‐
imagingexperiments),duringworkinghours(9:00to19:00)usersareallowed
to book a maximum of 5 hours per day (15 hours per week) per system. For
confocal microscopy systems overnight use (19:00 to 8:00) and weekends will
onlybeallowedunderspecialconditions.