Not sure what microscope to use or what fluorophores to use? Want to know about the new microscope imaging technologies available or how to analyze your results? All the JHU SOM Microscope Facility (Micfac) technical staff have advanced degrees and have done bench research in multiple disciplines. Email us to set up a no-cost consultation.
Consultations
We will identify the services and equipment you need, provide cost estimates, and plan the strategy together. For electron and light microscopy, there are pragmatic questions to address:
Electron Microscopy
- What are your samples? Tissue, cells, other? How big is the region of interest (preferably <1mm3)?
- How are you harvesting the tissue? Do you need fixative appropriate for EM (freshly prepared fix is best for preserving ultrastructure)?
- Is there a publication you are referencing?
Light Microscopy
- What are your samples? Tissue, cells, other? And about how thick is your sample?
- Are you looking to see intracellular morphology or are you trying to count the number of cells expressing a particular protein?
- Are you doing live-cell/live-tissue work? If so, do you need any extra environmental controls (temp, CO2, etc)?
- How many fluorescent labels will you be using and, if you know yet, what are those labels? (e.g. Alexa 488, DAPI and Texas Red…)
- Is there a publication you are referencing?
Test Sessions
With your best sample, we will check at least one of our microscopes (likely two or three microscopes) to match your experiment to the most suitable equipment. Although projects evolve by refining scientific goals, only the first one-hour test session for a lab project is free and at no cost.
Email us to set up a no-cost consultation and/or test session.
Service Request Forms
| Link | Purpose | Instructions |
|---|---|---|
| Lab Group Information Form | For new Labs using MicFac; Provide budgetary information and permissions | Principal Investigator or Accounts Administrator must sign; return to Microscope Facility |
| User Enrollment Form | Individuals within each lab group who want to use the Facility; Specify WebCalendar login information |
Principal Investigator or Accounts Administrator must sign; return to Microscope Facility |
| SOM Card Access Form | Request 24/7 access to equipment rooms; Trained & certified instrumentation users only |
Return to Microscope Facility; allow 2 weeks for activation |
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