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Policies and Guidelines

  • AIF staff are available for consultations, training, and assisted work M-F from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, by appointment.
  • For trained users, AIF equipment is available 24/7.
  • All unassisted users must be trained by AIF staff.
  • All doors to the AIF are accessible by a swipe card system linked to your Einstein ID card.
  • Your Einstein ID card will be activated to access equipment after you complete your training.
  • Do not give access to AIF rooms to unauthorized users.
  • Acknowledgements and Equipment policy form must be signed.
  • All unassisted users must be trained by AIF staff.
  • You must have an iLAB reservation before using the equipment.
  • You may cancel a reservation up to 4 hours in advance in iLab.
  • To cancel an appointment after the 4-hour deadline, call AIF staff x3547.
  • Appointments more than 30 minutes late without notifying AIF staff are considered no-show and may be cancelled.
  • No-shows will be billed for full scheduled appointment time.
  • Users will be billed from the reservation start time; billing stops with log off.
  • Some instruments have daily use restrictions; please check iLAB. Users may not change default settings on any machine. Each imaging session begins and ends with the microscope in the “standard configuration.”
  • Vacate the equipment promptly at the end of your scheduled time if another user is Scheduled.
  • Users must follow the appropriate hazardous material and waste policies.
  • Please notify AIF staff if there is anything wrong with a piece of equipment.
  • Any material that may be hazardous must be pre-approved by Frank Macaluso, Leslie Gunther-Cummins, or Vera DesMarais and by Environmental Health & Safety when applicable.
  • No gloves on AIF microscope.
  • No live BSL-2 pathogens on AIF microscopes.
  • No radioactive material.
  • No biohazard waste in regular garbage cans. Use the red bins. This includes: gloves, microscope slides, coverslips, pipette tips, culture dishes, tubes.
  • Any material that needs to be autoclaved prior to disposal cannot be left in AIF rooms, please take back to your lab.

All projects must be approved by Frank Macaluso or Leslie Gunther-Cummins. Experimental design, special concerns (such as dealing with pathogens), and scheduling must be arranged in advance. Preps are done three days per week on a strict schedule. Review our guidelines for TEM and SEM sample preparation.