Imaging facility of IEB AS CR

Instructions for users

A. Access Policy

IF Reservation System

First time users

IFIEB provides an open access to our instrumentation and expertise both to internal and external users.
Facility instrumentation is self-operated. Unless specifically trained by the IFIEB staff, users are not allowed to operate any equipment. Therefore first, you have to get in contact with the IFIEB stuff to get an introductory training.
After appropriate trainings and understanding fundaments (e.g. theoretical basics on confocal microscopy - https://youtu.be/t6s9e6IofGE) you will get access to the online booking system and to the microscopes.
Users can use Czech-Bioimaging open access request https://app.greception.com/form-login-window/072da7db/
IFIEB staff is here for you, so do not hesitate to ask for assistance.
IFIEB provides new users training, assisted equipment sessions, assistance on optimal experimental design, sample handling and data acquisition. On request we help with data analysis.

Booking

Book the microscopes via our reservation system.
The signee is responsible for proper handling of the system during the microscope session.
Do not reserve the systems for more than 4 hours a day (between 9 am and 6 pm).
Long-term time-lapse experiments should be scheduled between 6 pm and 9 am the next morning or weekends.
Idle (unused) reservations need to be deleted through the booking system prior to the actual microscopy session.

B. Rules and guidelines

General

Access is restricted to registered users ONLY! Non-registered users can accompany registered users on their responsibility. Non-registered users are not permitted to work at the microscope systems in absence of a registered user.
Write each your microscopy session to the reservation book by the microscope.
Report any damages immediately to the imaging facility; mark any abnormalities in the reservation book by the microscope.
Be nice to our microscopes, namely to the objectives!
Leave the workspace clean.
Do not put oil on the air and water objectives, do not overapply oil.
Do not use border/peripheral positions of slides/chambers, there is very high risk of objective scratching.
When cleaning off the objectives, use only lens paper supplied by the imaging facility. To remove immersion oil and clean oil objectives use Isopropanol supplied. Never use technical ethanol in wash bottle for objectives.
Power up the microscope only in the order demonstrated by the imaging facility. Power down with everything in the reverse order. Never run burners, lasers and cameras without their appropriate cooling devices.
Let Argon lasers in standby mode if somebody is scheduled after you. Check if he started to work.
Turn off the system after your work when you are the last user for the day.

Data

Preferentially save your data on your IEB P: drive (\\ds.asuch.cas.cz\home) (capacity 200GB) or on Imaging Facility disc station (\\ds-ueb-if.asuch.cas.cz\home). These data are backed up. Detail instructions how to map these disc stations are by each microscope.
Alternatively save your data temporarily in the system’s DATA hard drive space.

Name your folder with your Surname (not First name only, please). These data are NOT backed up. Please do not store your data simultaneously on DATA hard drive and IF/IEB Disc Station. Clean up your files from DATA hard drive as soon as possible.
Never save your files on the computer’s desktop or C: drive. These data could be deleted.

C. How to switch on and off/Basic instructions

Zeiss LSM 880 with Airyscan

Zeiss LSM 880 with Airyscan in horizontal setup

FEI (Morgagni) transmission electron microscope

no basic instructions for download

InSituPro VSi automated pippeting station

no basic instructions for download

Accessories light microscopy

no basic instructions for download

Accessories electron microscopy

no basic instructions for download

D. How to store/share data

Preferentially save your data on Imaging Facility disc station (capacity not limited) or on your IEB P: drive (capacity 100GB). Instruction how to map these disc stations are by each microscope and in section D of this web page.
Or Save your data temporarily in the system’s DATA hard drive space. Name your folder with your Surname (not First name only, please).
Never save your files on the computer’s desktop or C: drive. Clean up your files from the system’s hard drive as soon as possible.

E. How to acknowledge

All work – obligatory:

We acknowledge the Imaging Facility of the Institute of Experimental Botany AS CR supported by the MEYS CR (LM2023050 Czech-BioImaging) and IEB AS CR.

Microscopy was done at the Imaging Facility of the Institute of Experimental Botany AS CR supported by the MEYS CR (LM2023050 Czech-Bioimaging) and IEB AS CR.