Light microscopy

The current charges are outlined below. These charges are necessary in order to pay for the service contracts and to keep the equipment and the facility in good working order. We encourage all heads of laboratory who are planning to use the center to incorporate some microscope charges into their next grant applications.

There is no charge for training or continued advice for users of the BIRC microscopes, as we are of the strong opinion that everybody should be trained extensively in order to ensure the best possible results. To avoid abuse of this system (i.e. people demanding repeat training sessions every few months, or wanting to be trained on a system out of mere curiosity), an initial charge may be levied, but this will then cover the first 6 hours of microscope use. Users will not be charged for microscope or workstation time when the instruments are non-functional. Under these conditions, please see Alison or Chris to have the corresponding charges cancelled.

Developing eye disc, with photoreceptors and axons labeled in green and glial cells labeled in red. A Z-stack of images was collected using a Zeiss LSM 510 confocal microscope and 3-D reconstruction was performed using the Imaris software from Bitplane, allowing the structure to be viewed from different angles. Ho Ryun Chung, Alison North and Ulrike Gaul (Rockefeller University)

Rates:

• Zeiss multiphoton microscopes: $35.00 per hour*
• Zeiss confocal microscopes: $35.00 per hour*
• Spinning disk confocal microscope: $30.00 per hour*
• DeltaVision: $25.00 per hour*
• Zeiss Axioplan: $13.50 per hour
• Olympus IX71: $15.00 per hour*
• MMI laser microdissection: $13.50 per hour
• Nikon TC microscope: no charge
• Workstations: $6.00 per hour

(All charges calculated by the minute.)
*Rates may be reduced for overnight time-lapse experiments, according to instrument demand.

Electron microscopy

The charges for use of the electron microscope service depend on the nature of the work performed by the staff.

Category I: all preparation and microscopy carried out by the EM staff:

1. Conventional techniques: the investigator provides up to 6 samples, which are then processed entirely by the electron microscopists, including preparation of the blocks, semi and ultrathin sectioning, staining of sections, immunolabelling, electron micrography and image analysis
   Rates: $41.00 per hour.
2. Specialized techniques: these include SEM, rotary shadowing of macromolecules, negative staining and DNA spreading.
   Rates: $56.00 per hour.
   The hourly rates are inclusive of all routine reagents except electron microscope film and prints. Specialized reagents must be supplied by the investigator.

Category II: preparation shared by investigator and staff:

The investigator provides prepared blocks and the electron microscopists perform ultrathin sectioning and staining. The investigator is then trained how to use the electron microscope and to take electron micrographs.

Rates: $46.00 per block and then $35.00 per hour for the use of the Tecnai electron microscope or $25.00/hour for the use of the JEOL electron microscope.

Category III: preparation performed by the investigator:

The investigator prepares the samples, sections them on an ultramicrotome available at the facility, and examines them under the electron microscope.

Rates: $11.00 per hour for the use of the ultramicrotome and then $35.00 per hour for the use of the Tecnai electron microscope or $25.00/hour for the use of the JEOL electron microscope.

For all categories there is a charge of $2.00 per sheet of electron microscope film and $4.00 per 8x10 print.

External users from non-profit organizations are encouraged to use the center but will be charged rates higher than those shown above.