ALERT 
"It is the objective of the ICBM Center to provide Indiana University researchers with an efficient state-of-the-art microscopy facility We emphasize hands-on access to the instruments for individual investigators and unparalleled assistance from on-staff imaging experts."
How to use the Center
The Center is organized around the principle of providing researchers with access to and training on the latest instruments in optical microscopy and unparalleled service. If you are planning to use the Center for Biological Microscopy in your research, please contact us for input on experimental design, letters of support, consultation or collaboration and descriptions of equipment. We have an extraordinary imaging Center with capabilities that can enhance your chances of successful funding. We can help you include this aspect of your research into your grant application.
Hours of Operation
Training
Training is required for independent usage of all systems. It typically requires 2-3 hours, and includes hands-on experience. Although most of the training is done on standard slides, researchers are strongly encourage to bring their own samples.To request training, please email ICBM@iu.edu with the following information:
1. Specify which instrument(s) you want to schedule your training or imaging services.
2. The number of people you want to bring to your training. Typically we limit trainings to two people due the size of the rooms which house the microscopes.
3. At least three days and times in which you and the microscope are both available. To check the microscopes availablitiy, check the instuments calendar by clicking on the 'Schedule Resources' tab on this website.
4. If you have multiple accounts assigned to your profile, please specify which account you would like to use for your training session.
Independent Equipment Use Reservation
To make a new reservation on a microscope or workstation computer, select 'Schedule Equipment' tab and click on the 'View Schedule' button next to the instrument of interest. Click and drag on the time frame you would like to schedule your reservation for. A window will pop up that will allow you to verify your reservations details and provide payment information before saving the reservation. For the Leica systems, when reserving the microscope, to also reserve objectives, you must select 'Reserve time on a linked schedule' box, and choose which objectives you want to reserve for that time. If you do not book objectives on a linked schedule, you may not have the objective available for your session. Note: Do not reserve the objectives directly, only use the linked schedule.
Request Imaging Assistance and Services
If you would like to schedule the assistance of ICBM staff, contact ICBM@iu.edu with as much notice as possible (minimum 48 hours) to request our help. We are not equipment that can be reserved, we are busy with other responsiblities most of the time.
Equipment Fees
- Internal Academic - Any IU affiliated individual/group on an IU campus
- External Academic - Any academic individual/group not part of IU
- Commercial - All commercial entities
Current ICBM fees
| Service/Equipment | Internal Academic | External Academic | Commercial |
| Keyence and Workstations | $25/hr | $55/hr | $100/hr |
| Phenocyclers |
$35/hr | $77/hr | $140/hr |
| Leica SP8 | $60/hr | $112/hr | $225/hr |
| Olympus Fluoview 1000 MPE | $60/hr | $112/hr | $225/hr |
| Olympus Fluoview FV1000 | $60/hr | $112/hr | $225/hr |
| Spinning Disk | $60/hr | $112/hr | $225/hr |
| ISS PIE-FLIM | $60/hr | $112/hr | $225/hr |
| Technical assistance | $60/hr + system rate | $60/hr + system rate | $60/hr + system rate |
| Training | $60/hr + system rate | $60/hr + system rate | $60/hr + system rate |
For Akoya CODEX, please contact Connor (cgulbron@iu.edu) for a quote.
Users will be billed by the hours they have reserved in the reservation system. Once scheduled, users are financially responsible for the assigned time and may cancel their reservation up to the last 48 hours before the scheduled time.
The Center's microscopes are available for after-hours imaging for users whose experimental design requires long-term imaging. The microscopes are available from 7 pm to 7 am upon special approval.
| Unattended Long Term 1 (Keyence), 7+ hours between 5pm and 7am (Monday - Friday) | $175 | |
| Unattended Long Term 2 (Keyence), 7+ hours between 5pm Friday and 7am Monday (ie 26 hours = 2 segments) | Per 24 hours segment | $175 |
| Unattended Long Term 3 (confocal and 2-photon microscopes), 7+ hours between 5pm and 7am (Monday - Friday) | $400 | |
| Unattended Long Term 4 (confocal and 2-photon microscopes), 7+ hours between 5pm Friday and 7am Monday (ie 26 hours = 2 segments) | Per 24 hours segment | $400 |
Responsibilities of All Users of the Center
- Keep excess oil off of the objectives and stage.
- Keep the microscope areas clean and for remove all belongings after each session.
- Promptly report any observed problems with system performance should be reported to Center Staff.
- To accurately document their full reservation time for each session before a reservation begins.
Users cannot make reservations on our confocal systems within 12 hours of the start time. If you want to make a reservation within this time frame, or if you need to extend an existing reservation, please email a staff member with the time and an account number you wish to use for the extended reservation. Requests in this format will not incur any additional charges. Requests in any other format, including verbal requests, will incur a staff time charge at a $60/hr rate.
If you have an issue with a system during your session, please notify Gosia via email (mkamocka@iu.edu) within 48 hours after the completion of your reservation. Without this notice, the billing system assumes that everything worked correctly and you will be charged for your reservation.
Data Management
The Center is not responsible for the long-term storage and management of users' image data. Image files must be removed from the microscope computer systems at the end of each session. Instructions are provided that explain how data can be transferred to the user’s own laboratory computer, cloud storage or copied to a USB drive.
Acknowledgment of the Center
As we use the quantity of publications and grant applications involving the Center to illustrate our productivity in various applications for funding, we ask that users notify us when publishing data collected in the Center. Furthermore, please include an acknowledgment of "The Indiana Center for Biological Microscopy" for published data obtained using Center equipment.
Communication
Users are encouraged to email any of the Center personnel with questions, suggestions, complaints and jokes. The topics of these correspondences will be discussed in biweekly meetings of the Center staff. Center news, such as new equipment and personnel, significant changes or problems with equipment and observed egregious breaches in user decorum will be posted on the Center website and emailed to the entire group of Center users.