We are a team of engineers, coming from different disciplines (biology, physics, computer science), working on the interface of microscopy with biology. We propose :

• the orientation of users towards the most suitable equipment for their project
• the assistance in the design of tools: molecular biology, protein labeling, choice of labels and fluorophores, analysis protocols…
• the assistance in setting up the experiment: definition of controls, operating procedures, precautions to be taken with respect to potential artifacts
• the possible supervision of the users for the realization of the experiments
• the provision of functional and calibrated equipments
• the training of users for an autonomous use of the equipments
• the taking in charge of the acquisitions for the non autonomous users
• the assistance to the treatment and analysis of the obtained data
• assistance in the interpretation and presentation of the results.

ImagoSeine is a member of the national infrastructure of imaging platforms France-BioImaging and the Euro-BioImaging network.

The ImagoSeine imaging platform offers 3 types of services in photonic microscopy, cytometry and electron microscopy:

1 – Independent use of equipments and reagents

The autonomous user is previously trained by the platform staff on certain equipment or for the performance of certain operations (see Training). He/she benefits from extended use time slots (see Access times) and adapted rates (autonomous rate). During the sessions reserved for autonomous use (see Reservation), the platform’s engineers can be called upon for specific questions, or in the event of technical problems (malfunctions or defects in the equipment), during the platform’s normal opening hours, depending on their availability. If necessary, the autonomous user can book a session with assistance (advice, in-depth training). The autonomous user is responsible for the quality and management of the results he/she has obtained. A “session follow-up book”, located next to each device, must be filled in at each session. Documents (user’s manual, tutorials, …) are made available to the users and can be consulted on site. During the service, the autonomous user is responsible for the equipment provided. He/she must follow the rules for starting up, using, closing and storing the equipment and reagents used.  The team leader agrees to pay the full cost of repairs in the event of damage due to improper use of equipment. Any independent user who has not used equipment for more than one year or since the update of equipment (hardware, software) will have to undergo additional training. The status of autonomous user is subject to the appreciation of the platform staff and can be reviewed without notice. An autonomous user cannot train another user under any circumstances.

2 – The assisted session

The assisted session is conducted in the presence of the platform’s staff. It is proposed within the framework of the implementation of known protocols in standard experimental conditions, decided with the user, and does not have an inventive character. The engineers of the platform involved guarantee the quality of the results, provided that the use is made according to their recommendations, under the conditions fixed in agreement with the user. The session with assistance is subject to prior reservation (see Reservation), depending on the availability of the platform’s equipment and engineers and only during the normal opening hours (see Access hours). It is subject to “assisted” pricing.

3 – The collaborative project

This is the case when the user’s project requires the support of one or more platform engineers for occasional or regular assistance or for the development of a technique or technology for the user’s applications, or of a data acquisition or processing protocol. The platform’s engineers involved in the project guarantee the quality of the results obtained and their restitution (samples, data). The stages of a project can be carried out in the presence or absence of the user, depending on what has been decided beforehand between the user and the engineers involved. In the second case they are not subject to a particular reservation. Project invoicing may be subject to special pricing, based on an estimate, depending on the equipment used for the project. Billing will be based on actual hours used. The rate applied will be the “assisted users” rate.