Policies and Scheduling

 

The Molecular Interactions Facility provides the affinity-based optical biosensor technology for monitoring biomolecular interactions in real time, instructs in the analysis of fundamental mechanisms for selectivity and specificity of biological molecules.

 

Investigators interested in using the technology are invited to attend the Quarterly Introductory Training Course.  Initial consultation appointments are required to discuss feasibility and experimental design.  Continuous consultation about the experimental protocols results in the optimization of biosensor experiments and in reduction of the total cost of experiments.

 

 

The following policies apply to all users:

 

1)  New projects must be registered with the Core Administrator.  Please COMPLETELY fill out  

the access form and turn it in to the core before beginning experiments.

 

2)  The quarterly training by the core staff enables the biosensor user to prepare sensor surfaces, to conduct binding experiments and to analyze data.  Users who attend the training benefit from a credit of 6 hours of a preliminary hands-on training session with the users material.

 

3)  The Core staff may provide all services without the participation of a trained user at a higher fee.  Refer to 4.

 

4)  This chart is an explanation of fees which will appear on the monthly invoice.

 

5)  Time reservation of instruments is recorded at the facility 2-3 weeks in advance.  The remaining services are scheduled according to each operator’s time on a first-come-first-served basis at the Core.  E-mail may be used for communication MacleodStewartL@uams.edu

 

6)  Priority will be given to ACRC Members. 

 

7)  Users are invited to negotiate extra time access directly with the next scheduled user’s in case of need of additional instrument use, when justified, for example near Grant deadlines.

 

8)  In the event of machine failure the user must reschedule machine time.  Schedules are not pushed back.

 

9)  Record your instruments time-use on the respective Instrument log-on tables.  Users who fail to record log-on starting time will be charged 8hr-day-use fee ($480.00).

 

10)  Cancellations are accepted 48 hours before scheduled times, otherwise projects will be charged for a full day of use.

 

11)  Supplies, coupling reagents, regeneration and cleansing solutions, filtered buffers and capture antibodies are available in the Core Facility Users labeled refrigerator.  Users may also store their samples in this refrigerator.  Materials must be dated and labeled and will be trashed after 6 months.