T12 Rates & Services

All requests for services are done on the iLab site. Please go to the iLab website and choose the service and send your request. 

Services Offered

Negative Stain Imaging (Performed by staff)

Imaging of biochemically pure viruses, proteins, nucleic acids, or liposomal complexes. All the supplies required for conducting the experiments are provided by the facility at an appropriate cost. However, users can bring their supplies if preferred.

Negative stain Imaging service on T12

The user brings a report on the quality and quantity of the sample and a buffer for dilution.

The per-hour charge includes Microscope time, Staff time, Thin carbon grids, Stain solution, Liquid nitrogen, and glow discharge instrument time. 

T12 Training

• Here, you will learn T12 TEM operation, Negative Staining technique, and safe operation of microscope and holders.
• You are required to purchase TEM grids for negative staining.  Click Here to find and purchase CF300-Cu grids from the Electron Microscopy Sciences website.
• This service fee is to reserve time with an expert trainer for supervision, training, and teaching the user for two sessions (4 hrs each).
• Training availability is limited to Monday and Tuesday from 1 PM to 5 PM.
• This training is a pre-requisite and required for every user before requesting Cryo-EM training.

Login to iLab, under Request Services, click to expand, select Resources, and under T12 Microscope Training, click Initiate Request.

Training covers:

1. Glow discharging grids, their theory, and their purpose.
2. Negative staining method, its theory, purpose, QA, and references.
3. T12 SOP, alignments, and theory of basic electron optics.

After the training is finished, the user will be semi-independent and will be allowed to sign up for the microscope between 9 AM to 5 PM. The user will eventually be classified as an Independent user and can access the instrument without any assistance from staff. Once classified as an Independent user, the user will gain access to the instrument from 8 AM to 10 PM.

If the user fails to learn the operation of the microscope, the user will be retrained on a one-to-one basis, and all of the aforementioned charges will be accessed.

T12 Instrument Rates for Training

T12 Instrument Rates After Training and Independent Usage