Technician loading a sample to centrifuge machine in a scientific laboratory

Common Equipment and Technical Service (CETS)

The Common Equipment and Technical Services (CETS) provides access to common equipment and quality research technical assistance to Faculty members and research personnel based primarily in Roger Guindon.

The core is guided by a committee of principal investigators and technical officers who advise and vote to support changes, improvements and acquisition of new common equipment. Our mandate extends to maintenance of common equipment and user training, research technical assistance for individual laboratories, provision of glass washing and autoclave services and out-of-hours monitoring of freezers and incubators. 

The CETS benefits all laboratories in Roger Guindon because most labs do not own some of the basic and/or technologically advanced equipment items that are essential to the efficiency and success of their work. Our technical staff maintain this diverse suite of common equipment in a state of operational readiness and peak performance, and provide both one-on-one and group training upon request.

To coordinate the use of common equipment, the CETS provides an Online Booking System. While the majority of available instruments must be booked in advance, some do not require a reservation (but do have log books next to them that need to be filled out).  Users should refer to the Common Equipment List to check whether or not a specific instrument is bookable.

All requests for technical support must be submitted by email ([email protected]). For urgent assistance, users can phone our pager number (613-719-0317, please leave a numeric phone number and your call will be returned).

Steering Committee

Technical Support Team

Li, Hui

Li, Hui

Operations Manager

Huard, Sylvain

Huard, Sylvain

Operation Manager

Huo, Yi

Huo, Yi

Technician

Zhang, Zi

Zhang, Zi

Technician

Han, Bingbing

Han, Bingbing

Technician

Common Core Shared Equipment

CETS Common Equipment List

Technical Core Services

Pick-Up

For Chemical waste, Sharps and Recyclables materials, please create a request at the Office of the Chief Risk Officer.

Training

Central Sterilization/Decontamination Services

Lab glassware washing

  • Pick-up dirty glassware
  • Washes and autoclaves laboratory glassware
  • Delivers sterilized supplies back to lab except liquid

Sterilization

  • Water
  • Media solutions
  • Cell culture buffers
  • Stable, non-volatile substances
  • Surgical instruments
  • Glassware
  • Stainless steel
  • Pipette tips
  • Test tubes

Decontaminations

  • Liquid - Media waste (in glass or autoclave-compatible polypropylene flasks)
  • Solid (in red biohazard bags). Typically includes biohazard-contaminated solid items such as:
    1. Petri dishes
    2. Cell culture dishes/plates/flasks
    3. Centrifuge (e.g Eppendorf) tubes
    4. Pipette tips
    5. Gloves
    6. Paper Towels
    7. Animal food and bedding

Items that CANNOT be autoclaved

  • Materials containing solvents, volatile or corrosive chemicals (e.g. phenol, TRIzol, mercaptoethanol, formaldehyde)
  • Bleach/Javex or other chlorinated products
  • Acids or bases, flammable or oxidizer compounds
  • Radioactive materials
  • Materials contaminated with mutagenic or chemotherapeutic agents
  • Non-stainless steel items
  • Polystyrene (PS), Polyethylene (PE) or Polyurethane

Training

Please be advised that all new employees and new students working in labs must take mandatory autoclave safety training. The training will remain valid for 4 years.

Only trained workers are allowed to operate the autoclaves. Please contact the facility technicians for instructions on safe autoclave operations or any additional assistance

It is absolutely essential that all queries about autoclave services or to request a pipette cannister are submitted by email (include your name and lab name): [email protected]