Policies and Fee Structure

Fee Structure:

• Digital microscope image acquisition-

      $26/hr UMMS ($20/hr for microscope use of more than $1000.00 per month )
                        * 15/hr time lapse studies between 5 PM and 9AM  or on weekends.
       $31/hr Outside Academic Institutions
       $55/hr External Users

• Confocal Microscope- 
  
       $20/hr UMMS NIH Shared Instrumentation User Group*
       $31.50/hr UMMS
       $36.50/hr Outside Academic Institutions
       $60/hr External Users

• Training in use of microscope, image acquisition and analysis software-

       $42/hr UMMS
       $85/hr Non-UMMS

• Technical assistance with microscope use or image analysis-

       $42/hr UMMS 
       $85/hr Non-UMMS

• Off-line computer usage for image restoration, feature extraction, image display and analysis-

       $21/hr UMMS 
       $45/hr Non-UMMS

Services currently offered include: digital acquisition of fluorescence and phase contrast microscope images  as a function of time, Z-height and fluorophore (up to a maximum of 4); processing of microscope images to reduce noise using the Metamorph software package from Universal Imaging; restoration of both confocal and wide-field digital microscope images to reverse the distortions introduced by the optics; identification, counting and sizing of features of interest in 2D and 3D images by image processing  and visualization of 2D and 3D images.  Other services may be added depending upon demand and availability of personnel and equipment.   Possible new services include dynamic image series acquisition of fluorescent molecules in living cells maintained at 37C in a controlled atmosphere and Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET).  Training and consultation related to the above techniques is available.

Note: One half hour of technical assistance ($20) is always required for setup and shutdown of the microscope.  Users must be trained before they are allowed to use the equipment on their own.