Instructions for the users of MET core facilities and services

GENERAL INFORMATION

The main purpose of our facilities is to provide a diverse collection of research infrastructure and methodology to the research community at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology as well as outside investigators. The services provided vary form sharing the stand-alone equipments to full research services that can include planning of the research, use of facilities and the laboratory work and finally the analysis and evaluation of the results.

For safety and quality reasons, general rules in terms of the use of the facilities have been established as detailed under each laboratory description. In addition, individual working environments may have their own special requirements.

Each facility has a designated academic leader who is responsible for the development and overall running of the facility. The daily operation of the facility is in most cases managed either by technical or academic personnel. Each instrument has a responsible person (instrument host) and a deputy whose contact information is available at the instrument; user log book; reservation calendar or system if needed; manuals and user instructions easily available; Safety regulations and instructions posted nearby; personal protection ware in place if needed.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE USER

• Contact the equipment host before the first intended use of the instrument. Usage is only allowed after a tutorial and a reasonable time window should be reserved for this purpose.
• Bring your own consumables (such as pipettes, pipette tips, chemicals, buffers, test tubes, etc.) unless otherwise instructed by your host.
• Perform all required maintenance and cleaning procedures and leave the working area in an orderly state.
• Fill in the user log book to indicate details on the use of the equipment (e.g. name of the user and research group, and any other equipment specific information requested).
• Record any problems or concerns regarding the use of the equipment into the log book. In case of issues requiring rapid actions such as maintenance, contact the host immediately.
• Do not make redundant reservations and cancel any reservations that turn out to be unnecessary.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE INSTRUMENT HOST

• Calculate the usage per user or research group for billing purposes.
• Take care that the following are available: contact information, manuals and instructions, reservation system and a user log book.
• Ensure that the equipment is working properly.
• Order such consumables that are not provided by the users.
• Give tutorials to new users, either individually or as a group.
• Notify the laboratory chief of any maintenance or service that is needed.
• Inform the users of any interruption in the usage of the instrument, the reason for the break and its estimated duration. Inform the users again when the equipment is again in service.