Policies & Acknowledgment

It is important that the use of the Center for Advanced Microscopy (CAM) is properly acknowledged in your publications. Acknowledgement helps us demonstrate the impact we contribute to the research community, and it helps tremendously in our efforts to secure funding to bring you more cutting edge instruments and services.

So help us help you!

Anyone who uses the facility should acknowledge CAM by including a 'General Acknowledgment." If any specific equipment was used, they should add the corresponding paragraph that matches the instrument.

For example, if a user uses the PALM system, then the acknowledgment should read:

“Imaging work was performed at the Northwestern University Center for Advanced Microscopy generously supported by CCSG P30 CA060553 awarded to the Robert H Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center. Microdissection was performed on Zeiss PALM microdissection system purchased with the support of NCRR 1S10RR025624-01.”

Users should also send a PDF copy of the papers they publish to Dina Arvanitis.

General Acknowledgment

“Imaging work was performed at the Northwestern University Center for Advanced Microscopy generously supported by NCI CCSG P30 CA060553 awarded to the Robert H Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center.”

Andor Spinning Disk

“Spinning disk confocal microscopy was performed on an Andor XDI Revolution microscope, purchased through the support of NCRR 1S10 RR031680-01.”

Nikon Biostation CT

“High content imaging was performed on the Nikon Biostation CT system purchased with the support of NIH 1S10OD021704​-01.”

Nikon Multiphoton

“Multiphoton microscopy was perform on a Nikon A1R multiphoton microscope, acquired through the support of NIH 1S10OD010398-01.”

Nikon N-SIM

“Structured illumination microscopy was performed on a Nikon N-SIM system, purchased through the support of NIH 1S10OD016342-01.”

Nikon SoRa

“Super resolution spinning disk microscopy was performed on a Nikon SoRa system, purchased through the support of NIH 1S10OD032270-01”

Zeiss PALM

“Microdissection was performed on Zeiss PALM laser catapulting microdissection system purchased with the support of NCRR 1S10RR025624-01.”

We charge a $30 cancellation policy for any reservation canceled within 24 hours of the session. Please also be aware that we do no refund unused portions of reservations (i.e., no refund on one hour if you only use three hours of a four-hour session). Please contact CAM staff with any questions.

CAM uses Feinberg School of Medicine server space for data management. In order to access the FSMResFiles Core Facility server, your PI must register your netID with Feinberg IT. Email FSMhelp@northwestern.edu the netID of the PI and the netIDs of those using the facility and tell them that you need access to the FSMResFiles Core Facility server.

Instructions on how to connect to the server can be found in our Resources Directory. If you are from outside of Northwestern, please contact CAM staff for instructions on how to access the cluster.

CAM workstations are not HIPAA compliant/PHI compliant. Do not save any patient information on these machines.

Please be aware that the facility server, CAM microscopes and workstations are not HIPAA compliant/PHI compliant. This means no image data saved or stored within CAM (including the FSMResFiles Core Facility server) can have any human subject/patient identification information associated with it. This includes file and folder names as well as anything present in an image, image file or file metadata. Thank you.

In compliance with NIH and Northwestern policies, instruments in CAM are available to all members of the Northwestern community, the Chicago Biomedical Consortium and external users. In certain circumstances (e.g., if a PI, department or center provides significant cost-sharing for an instrument), access for specific individuals can be prioritized through the NUcore booking calendar. These individuals may be eligible to reserve imaging sessions further in advance of general users.

Members of the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University receive extended booking per this policy. Specific inquiries should be directed to Dina Arvanitis.

In compliance with NIH and Northwestern policies, instrument time in CAM is billed in accordance with a rate calculation worksheet approved by the Office of Cost Studies. In certain circumstances (e.g., if support is provided by a specific source of funds), the rate paid by a specific group can be subsidized, although the fundamental rate prior to any applied subsidy is the same for all members of the Northwestern community and the CBC as dictated by the rate calculation worksheet.

Please note that although initial consultations and brief discussion/questions (less than 15 minutes) may not be charged, image analysis is a service line for which we bill (for prices, see our Fees page). If you have any questions about this policy, please contact Dina Arvanitis.

CAM is now ready to accept reservations on our instruments. There are several policy changes in response to the COVID-19 crisis.  Please read the policies below and watch this video for proper scope cleaning before requesting a reservation.

• All support is remote.
• Bring your cell phones to call the numbers posted on the instruments for support and to log into NUcore.
• Reach out to CAM staff via email or phone. We will not take face to face meetings.
• Masks are required AT ALL TIMES. Do not remove your mask at the microscope or pull it down below your nose.
• Do not go to other microscope rooms for supplies. If you run out of oil, paper, cleaner etc go to Searle 2512(the computer lab) to refill and contact CAM staff (either via phone or email)
• Do not come early or stay beyond your reserved time.
• Do not use the tissue culture incubator in Morton 2664, use the one is Morton 2633.
• All EM sample pickup and drop off will be contactless. Contact staff first.
• All plateholders/objectives for Nikon systems are now on the counter in Morton 2-607. If you use a multiwell plate holder please return it to this location at the end of your session.
• 1 person per microscope
• Analysis computers are available via remote access.
• Watch this video before asking to schedule time on the instrument.
• All the microscopes have been deep cleaned. We will be more stringent going forward about enforcing users cleaning the microscope after their reservation. If you find a user before you has left the microscope in unacceptable condition (especially dirty objectives, or oil/media spills) please contact CAM staff.
• Please make sure you transfer ALL your data to the FSMResFiles server at the end of each session. We will be removing local stored data from the instrument computers weekly without warning. No hard drives, flash drives are allowed.

Disinfection and PPE protocol:

• DO THIS AT THE START AND END OF EACH SESSION.
• Each microscope has a bottle of disinfectant. Do not spray this on the instrument.  Spray onto a kimwipe or paper towel.
• Wipe down the keyboards, mice, focus knobs, pipets (if provided) and other high touch areas (such as light switches) with disinfectant wetted wipe.
• Wipe down the area below the eyepieces on the microscope stand. Wipe down the oculars with disinfectant and lens paper.
• Be sure to check the objectives and clean them with lens paper and sparkle.
• We are providing Saran wrap, make sure you cover the eyepieces and the front of the scope. We will also have keyboard protectors available.
• Gloves are recommended but optional, you must provide your own. If you are using gloves do not come to the facility wearing them. You must put them on after you have entered the microscope room and remove them before you leave.
• Goggles/safety glasses are also recommended but not required. You must provide your own and wipe them down before you begin you imaging session.
• If you find that the previous user has not cleaned please inform CAM staff

For reservations/instrument questions please contact:

• Nikon A1s, Nikon W1: Peter  (peter.dluhy@northwest…)
• STORM, MP, X1, SIM, Ti2 Widefield: Hongtao (h.chen@northwest…)
• LaVision Lightsheet, AZ100: Dina (c-arvanitis@northwest….)
• TissueGnostics, LAGO, Biostations, Zeiss Palm, Nuance:Wilson (wensheng-liu@northwest…)
• Olympus DSU, Histoquest, Computer analysis: David(david.kirchenbuchler@northwest…)
• FEI TEM: Lennell (l-reyjr@northwest….)
• SEM: Farida (farida.korobova@northwest…..)