Facility

The Member Electron Microscopy Center provides expertise and resources for understanding both molecular and cellular structures. Molecular structure determination is enabled by high-end transmission electron microscopes (TEMs), direct detection cameras, and computational support for single particle analysis. Cellular structure determination is enabled by tomographic reconstructions using the TEMs and a focused ion beam (FIB) scanning electron microscope (SEM). MEMC is supported by dues from member institutions as well as the Simons Foundation.

Please note SEMC is a BSL-1 facility.

Scheduling Non-Krios Instrument Time

Once a user completes New User Orientation, they will be entered into the scheduling system (PPMS). This is an online scheduler that enables users to schedule time on the screening EMs and sample preparation equipment without contacting MEMC staff.

The intent of the following rules is to ensure access to the instruments for the largest number of users, not to limit access.

  • Signing up less than 24 hours before a session begins is considered “Last minute booking” and it will not count against bookings allotment.
  • If you are more than 30 minutes late, you will forfeit your session, if others wish to use it.
  • Sessions must be canceled 24 hours in advance.

Consecutive Sessions
You may not request 2 consecutive sessions during weekday-daytime (9am-5pm) hours. It is OK and encouraged to do this with evening and weekend sessions or in combination with a daytime session (e.g. 9am to midnight on weekdays or 9am to 9am the following day on weekends) assuming you have 24-hour access.

Last minute booking
Any session scheduled less than 24 hours in advance (or over a weekend or holiday) is considered a last minute booking. Last minute bookings may be accommodated based on staff availability. If you require full staff assistance please book at least one week in advance.

Lateness
If you are more than 30 minutes late, you will forfeit your session, if others wish to use it. If you know you will be late in advance, please notify MEMC Staff by email, memc [a] nysbc.org .

No Shows
Failure to show up for sessions you booked in advance inconveniences everyone. If you find, for any reason, that you will not use a session you have booked – YOU MUST CANCEL 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE.

Microscope down time/early termination of a session
If there is an unexpected issue that leads to termination/cancellation of your session, we will try to work with you to schedule another session although it is not guaranteed.

Special Bookings
Special case sign-up is available with the help of the MEMC Staff.

  1. If you have a special need for more microscope time (e.g. you have to get a paper out quickly), please talk to your institutional representative and email memc [a] nysbc.org to submit a request for extra time.
  2. Should a multi-day session be needed users should contact the memc [a] nysbc.org and provide an explanation.

After-Hours Use of Instrumentation
For after-hours use the following must be met:

  1. Users must be certified as independent on the instrumentation they are booking.
  2. The applicant should have a reasonable need for significant 24-hour access to the resources of the center. The privilege of 24-hour access is solely for the scientific use of the MEMC resources.
  3. C-14 Certification: Applicants shall hold a New York Fire Department Permit for Supervision of a Chemical Laboratory certificate (type C-14) in their home institution.
  4. Users must request approval of after-hours use of instrumentation via email to MEMC at memc [a] nysbc.org and session booking must be approved in PPMS.
  5. Users will be issued an NYSBC Temporary Access Form for each session by a MEMC staff member. You cannot stay past 5 pm without receiving this form. Each additional user must have their own NYSBC Temporary Access Form.
  6. Please fill a couple LD4 dewars so that you have enough liquid nitrogen for your session.
    1. If you cannot make it on-site before 5 pm, please email memc [a] nysbc.org and ask a staff member to fill LD4s for your session.

If you encounter any issues:

  1. Notify MEMC at memc [a] nysbc.org
  2. Shutdown equipment (if possible)
  3. Go home! If you cannot properly shutdown the instrumentation for any reason, please let us know and we will troubleshoot the next day.

In a case of an emergency please contact the laboratory safety officer. Emergency contact information can be found on signage in the dehumidified room and at both entrances to the lab.

Grid Drop Off

Grids may be dropped off only after a session date has been assigned.
Grids must be dropped off with a staff member and stored in a MEMC dewar. Grids stored in the institutional dewars in the hallway are not considered to be dropped off.
Please be mindful that all parameters on grid drop off form are final. No changes will be made during data collection. If you are uncertain of what parameters you should use, please set a project meeting by emailing memc [a] nysbc.org.

Data policy

Our data policy is as follows:

  1. You are responsible for your data.
  2. Frames will be deleted 30 days after data collection ends.
  3. CryoSPARC live data will also be deleted 15 days after data collection ends.
  4. Leginon images from your session that can be viewed at memcweb.nysbc.org, are not backed up and will be converted to JPEGs 3 months after data collection ends.
  5. We will make our best efforts to preserve the functionality of the image viewer, but it does not constitute an archival of data.

Food and Drink

No food is allowed in the microscope rooms, drinks must not be left on the counter or microscope tables.

User Guest/Visitor Policy

  • Visitors must be announced at least 1 day in advance of their visit. Please email memc [a] nysbc.org with the following information: guest name, affiliation and position. See example below.
    • Guest name: Alex de Marco
    • Affiliation: Member Electron Microscopy Center
    • Position: Principal Investigator
  • Visitors are only allowed to observe. They are not allowed to operate instrumentation or any other ancillary equipment.
  • Visitors are only allowed on-site from 9AM – 5PM.
  • Visitors must be at least 18 years of age.
  • Visitors are under the supervision and responsibility of the staff assignee for the duration of their session.
  • Visitors must check-in with their staff assignee to sign out a guest badge for the day. Visitors must checkout with their staff assignee to return the guest badge at the end of day.
  • Visitors must have their guest badge visible for the entirety of their visit.
  • If visitors wish to become regular users, they must attend New User Orientation and obtain an official ID at the NYSBC. Please email memc [a] nysbc.org to request access to the next New User Orientation.
  • MEMC staff reserve the right to turn away visitors if any of the rules above are not followed.

Best practices at MEMC

  • Arrive on time for your session!
  • Sign up to use any microscope, sample preparation equipment, or computer workstations prior to your arrival.
  • Absolutely no food or drink in the lab.
  • Be courteous to other users: finish your session on time and clean up after yourself.
  • The dehumidified room often gets crowded; please leave any unnecessary belongings outside in the lab or in our lockers out in the hall.
  • Users who have not registered their C14s do not have 24 hour access and are only allowed to use the facility during business hours.
  • If you ever have any doubts on equipment use, please seek help from an MEMC staff member.
  • Never use force on any equipment. If something is stuck, leave it alone and call for help.
  • We would suggest when possible, you use the instruments as follows:
    • Hitachi HT7800 : Negative stain screening
    • TFS Glacios2: High-resolution cryoEM single particle screening and/or data collection

Emergency contact numbers

Safety Officer: 
Edward Eng
Normal Hours: x346

Second Contact: 
Robert Gheorgita
Normal Hours: x309

Lab Heads: 

Alex de Marco

Normal Hours