Core Facilities

The most important aspect of a multi-user core facility is that the data generated are accurate and useful for the goals of the researchers.

A successful core facility relies on a combination of knowledgeable staff that understand technological advances, have the ability to educate and inform users, and have a workable system of offering a service.¹

Over the last few years, new innovations in specimen labeling, coupled with an increased sensitivity of detection leading to molecular imaging and analysis, has resulted in an increased interest in microscopy and to a proliferation of imaging facilities. The arrival of a user with their precious sample is often the culmination of many hours of research, for example, optimizing immunostaining protocols, transfecting cells with fluorescent tags, or anticipating changes in live cell behavior following treatment with a compound of interest. A novice will need advice on how best to capture useful, relevant data and tell a story with pictures to ensure the message is clearly understood. There is always more than a single way of doing things and in microscopy, as in art, creativity is rewarded. An effective manager of such a facility must be available to facilitate the optimal use of its resources.²

Equipment and Maintenance
Hardware
Walking into a typical imaging facility, a visitor will find some basic pieces of equipment, each connected to a computer and image capture device, as in the partial list shown in Table 1. In an institution where microscopy is a priority and ample funding is available, additional equipment will include duplicate systems and fully accessorized high-end models that can add to the cost. One can also find some highly specialized systems that carry out limited functions at exceptionally complex and accurate levels.

A collection of such equipment requires maintenance, and thus, the operational costs of an imaging facility are considerable. The major expense is the maintenance contract on the larger systems. The risk is too high to operate without such support, since the repair cost of a single major breakdown can exceed the cost of a yearly service contract. Several cost-saving models exist;³ some institutions arrange group service contracts from a single provider. However, in our facility, our complex and highly specialized instruments have never qualified for this type of group arrangement.

A capable manager can carry out several preventative measures to extend the life of the equipment or repair some breakdowns. Long-term benefits can result from being present at the time of installation of new equipment to observe and ask the company representative basic questions, such as how do you gain access to replacement parts and how do you achieve optimum optical alignment? While the scanning parts of microscopes are too complex for routine maintenance by the facility manager, the microscopes themselves, the condensers, and lenses have to be cleaned and light sources require regular alignment. Users are encouraged to report problems as soon as they are apparent, before they escalate into a major breakdown.