Policy & Procedures

Approval for use of the TEM Core Facility is granted based on acknowledgement and agreement to the below policies.

Policy & Procedures

Policies and Procedures for New Users

The EM Core Facility is open to:

  • Researchers at the University of Ottawa and affiliated hospitals
  • Other academic institutions
  • Government agencies
  • Industry partners
To become a registered user:
  1. Email [email protected] with:
    • Your contact info (email and emergency phone)
    • Supervisor’s contact info (cc them on the email)
    • Health & safety details about your samples
    • Goals of your imaging work
  2. You and your supervisor will be set up with an account
  3. A training session will be scheduled based on experience
  4. You must agree to the Acknowledgment Policy

Requirements to Use the Centre

  • All users must complete in-house training
  • Only EM Core Facility staff may train new users
  • You must belong to a lab or group with valid billing info
  • Refresher training is mandatory if inactive for 5+ weeks
  • Approval for independent usage is granted by the Facility Manager after competency is demonstrated

Booking and Cancellation Policy

  • Bookings are in 15-minute intervals
  • Max session: 4 hours/day, 3 sessions/week
  • Experienced users require approval for independent operation
  • Logbook sign-in/out is mandatory
  • Actual usage time will be billed; overbooking may result in full-time charges

Cancellation & No-show Policy:

  • Cancellations must be made 24+ hours in advance
  • Late cancellations incur a $50.00 fee
  • No-shows (30 min late) will be billed half-price; consistent no-shows may be billed fully

Data Server Guidelines

  • USB devices are strictly forbidden
  • Save data on the TEM server, then use:
    • WeTransfer
    • OneDrive (UOttawa login required)

Data Retention Policy:

  • Remove files from the server regularly
  • Do not leave files on acquisition computers >2 weeks
  • Files left on instrument computers >2 months may be deleted without notice
  • No backups are made by the facility — users are fully responsible for their data

Acknowledgment Policy

Publications, posters, or presentations using EM Core Facility data must acknowledge the facility.

Acknowledgment statement:

"The authors acknowledge the Electron Microscopy Core (RRID: SCR_025398) funded by the University of Ottawa, Brain-Heart Interconnectome (BHI) via Canadian First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF)."

  • Submit a PDF copy of the publication to the Core
  • Consider co-authorship for staff who contribute significantly to:
    • Experimental design
    • Data collection/interpretation
    • Manuscript preparation

General Rules and Guidelines

  • Only trained users may book and operate equipment
  • Advanced technical assistance is available by appointment
  • Training must be scheduled with real sample types
  • Equipment issues must be reported immediately
  • The Core is not responsible for data loss
  • Users must read and agree to all policies before training