For New Users

You need to do microscopy or image analysis and therefore you would like to use the instrumentation at the core facility? Great! We are looking forward to meet you. Here are the steps to become a user:

If you know already exactly which microscope technique to use, for example because you continue the project of another person, or because you have sufficient expertise to chose from the available options, please go to Step 1 below. 

Else, please discuss your imaging needs with the Core Facility staff first. Together we will figure out which technique and instrument or instruments is or are best suited for your research question. 

1. Download the guidelines (pdf, ~ 250 kb) and read them. The future user and his/her Principle Investigator (the one who's research money is paying the usage fees) need to sign the attached forms and bring the original, signed forms to the facility staff. We only need the two signed pages from you, not the complete guidelines. 
2. Sign up for the online booking system PPMS. This can be done in parallel to the previous step. You may have an account already, if you are also a user of another core facility at the BMC. Then use the same credentials to log in to the Bioimaging booking system.
3. In the booking system, request a training for the required microscope technique (e.g. confocal, wide-field, multi-photon, etc.). Either during the previous step, i.e. within the account creation request, or after your account was approved. The respective form will ask for some details on your project. Your answers will help us to identify the most suitable microscope, also considering the booking situation.
4. Access for projects from outside the BMC may be prioritized or denied on reasons of capacity of the facility or scientific merit of the project. We might ask for a 1 page project summary for external projects.
5. Out training focusses on the practical aspects of handling the system. For time reasons it cannot include the theory behind the various approaches. We strongly recommend that each user should strive to understand some basic theory of what s/he is doing. Learning & Teaching lists books and web sites for this purpose. The facility staff will be happy to assist with the selection.
   Facility staff and the user will together schedule a training session on the respective instrument. Practical training may consist of one or several sessions. It may take 30 min on very simple machines, 2x 3 hours for confocal microscopy and more for high-end approaches, depending on the complexity of the project and previous knowledge. 
6. After successful training, the user can book the respective microscope via the booking system PPMS. Please be aware that using the core facility equipment is subject to usage fees. Booking and not using it (no-show) is also subject to fees. See usage guidelines for details. New users can book the machines during office hours of the facility staff so that we are available if help is required.
7. Experienced users will have booking rights 24/7. If they have a transponder for the BMC, it can be activated for the respective facility room to allow access.

For further details, please see the guidelines (download pdf, ~ 250 kb)