BIOP Rules

The following rules apply for the usage of the BIOP:

  • Eating and drinking in the rooms of the BIOP is strictly prohibited.

Booking rules:

  • Do not book for more than two weeks in advance.
  • One reservation throughout the main working hours (Monday-Friday 08:00-18:00) per instrument and user.
  • Avoid booking the entire time-slot from 08:00-18:00 during the main working hours in particular if you do a reccurring reservation.
  • Delete your slot as early as possible if you do not need it.

Do not hesitate to get in contact with one of the BIOP collaborators in case you have questions regarding the safety rules.

Your BIOP team 

General Rules & Tips

In order to make working at the PT-BIOp as easy, convenient and fair as possible for everybody, it is necessary for all users to follow some principle rules. To negotiate exceptions please do not hesitate to contact us directly. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

General
  1. Introduction by the PTBIOP staff is compulsory for all PTBIOP equipment provided.
  2. Instruments must not be booked for colleagues or collaborators.
  3. Microscopy training is exclusively given by PTBIOP staff members.
  4. If you cannot remember how to operate a system you were already introduced to, please ask the PTBIOP team for advice or a refreshment course.
  5. External scientists being present in the rooms of the PTBIOP for extended time periods on a regular basis must be introduced to at least one of our staff members.
  6. In general, only samples classified in safety group S1 are allowed on PTBIOP systems!
    In case you have samples classified above S1 please get in contact with the PTBIOP staff BEFORE STARTING YOUR EXPERIMENT.
  7. Microscopes and others equipments must not be touched with gloves.
  8. Eating and drinking is not allowed in the microscopy laboratories.

Booking

  1. Booking of the machines before use is obligatory.
  2. Do not book systems more than 2 weeks in advance.
  3. Long-term time-lapse experiments should be scheduled between 18:00 and 10:00 the next morning or on the weekend (please don’t forget to switch off devices not needed during time lapse like the HBO lamps on confocal systems).
  4. Delete your booking if you do not use your slot. If you delete the last booking on the booked day, ensure that the system is switched off (the previous user doesn´t know that you are going to delete your booking).
  5. Including the temperature in the ‘title’ is helpful for the next user to come.

Data

  1. There is no backup of data saved on the local hard-disk drives of all PTBIOP PCs (Microscopes and Workstations).
  2. If you save data locally, store it in a folder with your full name.
  3. Please transfer your data as soon as possible to avoid data loss and delete it locally to make space on the local hard-disk!
  4. In case of local memory shortage, the PTBIOP staff might delete data files older than 3 days from the local hard disks.

Before you start

  1. Check the equipment for any obvious damage or spoilage and inform the PTBIOP. To keep instruments in perfect shape your cooperation is a key component.
  2. Wipe off dust and smear from the lens and the sample coverslip using lens tissue (soaked in ethanol if required).

While working

  1. Check the immersion media required for each lens that you use (oil, glycerol, water, air) before you start working. If you don’t know: Ask PTBIOP.
  2. Clean immersion media from lenses with a dry lens tissue every time you change slides. Slides should also be cleaned by a dry kim wipe. Optimal results can only be obtained with clean slides and objectives.
  3. Use moderate amounts (1 drop=50 µl) of immersion media. Immediately remove immersion media spilling over the objective rim.

After you have finished

  1. Clean immersion media from every lens you used with a dry lens tissue.
  2. Check whether the system is booked later on the same day.
  3. If you are the last user of the day, switch off all lamps and lasers as described in the operations short-manual for each system provided by PTBIOP.
  4. If you encounter problems or you have doubts about the performance of the system, please inform us immediately. User feedback is the most valuable information we can get.