financing a multi-photon microscopy facility

[Katrin Roth-2]

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Dear Confocal listserv members,

I just started as core facility manager for  multi-photon microscopy. In the moment we are applying for a machine. The money for the multi-photon microscope and accessory is already conceded by federal state.  We consider how the facility with service, repair and reserve fund for a new laser could be financed. The structure here consists different departments of university (from clinics to biology) which all have their own budgets and will use the multi-photon microscope. For the confocal microscopes and the spinning disc microscope at university a charge for system use must be paid. In my opinion this will be difficult for a multi-photon microscope as the prize for a new laser is up to 200000€.

I would be glad to receive some information how is it organized in your facility.

All the best!
Katrin

Katrin Roth
Philipps-University of Marburg
Institute of Molecular Biology and Tumor Research (IMT)
Core Facility Multi-Photon Microscopy
Emil-Mannkopff-Str. 2
35032 Marburg
Germany
Tel: [phone]

[Arne Seitz]

Dear Karin,

we are having a service contact for the 2P laser. Thus, if it breaks we can immediately replace it. To my understanding this is the optimal solution. The service contact can be either paid from the budget or already included into the purchase of the laser (which is the better alternative).
User charges to recover 100% of the costs are to my understanding illusory. But they might nevertheless help to recover at least part of the cost. We are charging twice the price for a 2P system compared to a 1P confocal system.
Alternatively you can ask the labs who are using the instrument to pay a yearly lump-sum for the service costs. You have to make them aware that the 2P laser will break sooner or later and that the instrument is unusable from that point on.

Best regards
Arne

 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Confocal Microscopy List
> [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Katrin Roth
> Sent: jeudi 31 octobre 2013 11:08
> To: [hidden email]
> Subject: financing a multi-photon microscopy facility
>
> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> *****
>
> Dear Confocal listserv members,
>
> I just started as core facility manager for  multi-photon microscopy. In the
> moment we are applying for a machine. The money for the multi-photon
> microscope and accessory is already conceded by federal state.  We consider
> how the facility with service, repair and reserve fund for a new laser could be
> financed. The structure here consists different departments of university
> (from clinics to biology) which all have their own budgets and will use the
> multi-photon microscope. For the confocal microscopes and the spinning disc
> microscope at university a charge for system use must be paid. In my opinion
> this will be difficult for a multi-photon microscope as the prize for a new laser
> is up to 200000€.
>
> I would be glad to receive some information how is it organized in your
> facility.
>
> All the best!
> Katrin
>
> Katrin Roth
> Philipps-University of Marburg
> Institute of Molecular Biology and Tumor Research (IMT) Core Facility Multi-
> Photon Microscopy Emil-Mannkopff-Str. 2
> 35032 Marburg
> Germany
> Tel: [phone]

[Sylvie Le Guyader]

Hi there

We have bought all our confocals with 5 years full service contract paid up front. This was announced already in the tender process so suppliers squeezed their price a bit. Buying years of service contract this way usually means that the cost per year is greatly reduced compared to buying it after the warranty has passed. We find that it is also easier to finance since it comes as a package.

Our laser (Coherent Chameleon) was more like 100000€ but in any case we have had it changed totally once and parts changed over the past 4 years so we are very happy we have a full service contract!

Good luck! :)

Med vänlig hälsning / Best regards
 
Sylvie
 
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Sylvie Le Guyader
Live Cell Imaging Unit
Dept of Biosciences and Nutrition
Karolinska Institutet
Hälsovägen 7
Novum, G lift, floor 6
14157 Huddinge
Sweden
office: [phone]
LCI room: [phone]
mobile: [phone]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Confocal Microscopy List
> [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Seitz Arne
> Sent: 31 October 2013 12:02
> To: [hidden email]
> Subject: Re: financing a multi-photon microscopy facility
>
> Dear Karin,
>
> we are having a service contact for the 2P laser. Thus, if it breaks we can
> immediately replace it. To my understanding this is the optimal solution. The
> service contact can be either paid from the budget or already included into the
> purchase of the laser (which is the better alternative).
> User charges to recover 100% of the costs are to my understanding illusory. But
> they might nevertheless help to recover at least part of the cost. We are charging
> twice the price for a 2P system compared to a 1P confocal system.
> Alternatively you can ask the labs who are using the instrument to pay a yearly
> lump-sum for the service costs. You have to make them aware that the 2P laser will
> break sooner or later and that the instrument is unusable from that point on.
>
> Best regards
> Arne
>
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Confocal Microscopy List
> > [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Katrin Roth
> > Sent: jeudi 31 octobre 2013 11:08
> > To: [hidden email]
> > Subject: financing a multi-photon microscopy facility
> >
> > *****
> > To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> > http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> > *****
> >
> > Dear Confocal listserv members,
> >
> > I just started as core facility manager for  multi-photon microscopy.
> > In the moment we are applying for a machine. The money for the
> > multi-photon microscope and accessory is already conceded by federal
> > state.  We consider how the facility with service, repair and reserve
> > fund for a new laser could be financed. The structure here consists
> > different departments of university (from clinics to biology) which
> > all have their own budgets and will use the multi-photon microscope.
> > For the confocal microscopes and the spinning disc microscope at
> > university a charge for system use must be paid. In my opinion this
> > will be difficult for a multi-photon microscope as the prize for a new laser is up
> to 200000€.
> >
> > I would be glad to receive some information how is it organized in
> > your facility.
> >
> > All the best!
> > Katrin
> >
> > Katrin Roth
> > Philipps-University of Marburg
> > Institute of Molecular Biology and Tumor Research (IMT) Core Facility
> > Multi- Photon Microscopy Emil-Mannkopff-Str. 2
> > 35032 Marburg
> > Germany
> > Tel: [phone]

[Arvydas Matiukas]

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To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
*****

Dear Katrin,
 
Buying years of full service contract  as Sylvie suggested is very nice
option if there
 is financing available to afford it.
 
At our facility after the first year of 2p laser warranty we decided
continue without
service contract (i.e. on demand service) . We are located at smaller
campus and do not have a lot of users
(~ 100 researchers, <1000 hrs/year laser usage). The 2p laser has been
working
for 9 years without any major problems/repairs. If we were on service
contract
(which does not scale to the usage hours) we would spend more than
half-price
of a new laser. I know few more 2p lasers at research labs that also
have been used
for years without service contract  and problems.
 
However, if your facility expects a lot of usage (>2000 hrs/year) it
would be smart
to charge users extra and accumulate some money at least for the laser
repairs
 (which takes time but is only a fraction (<20%) of new laser cost).
 
Best regards,
Arvydas
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 
 

 
 
Arvydas Matiukas, Ph.D.
Director of Confocal&Two-Photon Core
Department of Neurosci& Physiology
SUNY Upstate Medical University
766 Irving Ave., WH 3167
Syracuse, NY 13210
tel.: [phone]
fax: [phone]
email: [hidden email]
>>> Sylvie Le Guyader <[hidden email]> 10/31/2013 9:09 AM >>>
Hi there

We have bought all our confocals with 5 years full service contract
paid up front. This was announced already in the tender process so
suppliers squeezed their price a bit. Buying years of service contract
this way usually means that the cost per year is greatly reduced
compared to buying it after the warranty has passed. We find that it is
also easier to finance since it comes as a package.

Our laser (Coherent Chameleon) was more like 100000€ but in any case we
have had it changed totally once and parts changed over the past 4 years
so we are very happy we have a full service contract!

Good luck! :)

Med vänlig hälsning / Best regards

Sylvie

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Sylvie Le Guyader
Live Cell Imaging Unit
Dept of Biosciences and Nutrition
Karolinska Institutet
Hälsovägen 7
Novum, G lift, floor 6
14157 Huddinge
Sweden
office: [phone]
LCI room: [phone]
mobile: [phone]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Confocal Microscopy List
> [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Seitz Arne
> Sent: 31 October 2013 12:02
> To: [hidden email]
> Subject: Re: financing a multi-photon microscopy facility
>
> Dear Karin,
>
> we are having a service contact for the 2P laser. Thus, if it breaks

we can
> immediately replace it. To my understanding this is the optimal
solution. The
> service contact can be either paid from the budget or already
included into the
> purchase of the laser (which is the better alternative).
> User charges to recover 100% of the costs are to my understanding
illusory. But
> they might nevertheless help to recover at least part of the cost. We
are charging
> twice the price for a 2P system compared to a 1P confocal system.
> Alternatively you can ask the labs who are using the instrument to
pay a yearly
> lump-sum for the service costs. You have to make them aware that the
2P laser will
> break sooner or later and that the instrument is unusable from that
point on.

>
> Best regards
> Arne
>
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Confocal Microscopy List
> > [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Katrin Roth
> > Sent: jeudi 31 octobre 2013 11:08
> > To: [hidden email]
> > Subject: financing a multi-photon microscopy facility
> >
> > *****
> > To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> > http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> > *****
> >
> > Dear Confocal listserv members,
> >
> > I just started as core facility manager for  multi-photon

microscopy.
> > In the moment we are applying for a machine. The money for the
> > multi-photon microscope and accessory is already conceded by
federal
> > state.  We consider how the facility with service, repair and
reserve
> > fund for a new laser could be financed. The structure here
consists
> > different departments of university (from clinics to biology)
which
> > all have their own budgets and will use the multi-photon
microscope.
> > For the confocal microscopes and the spinning disc microscope at
> > university a charge for system use must be paid. In my opinion
this
> > will be difficult for a multi-photon microscope as the prize for a
new laser is up

> to 200000€.
> >
> > I would be glad to receive some information how is it organized in
> > your facility.
> >
> > All the best!
> > Katrin
> >
> > Katrin Roth
> > Philipps-University of Marburg
> > Institute of Molecular Biology and Tumor Research (IMT) Core

Facility
> > Multi- Photon Microscopy Emil-Mannkopff-Str. 2
> > 35032 Marburg
> > Germany
> > Tel: [phone]

[Katrin Roth-2]

*****
To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
*****

Thank you very much indeed!  I am stoked about the numerous  helpful answers I have received.

All the best
Katrin


Am 31.10.2013 um 11:08 schrieb Katrin Roth <[hidden email]>:

> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> *****
>
> Dear Confocal listserv members,
>
> I just started as core facility manager for  multi-photon microscopy. In the moment we are applying for a machine. The money for the multi-photon microscope and accessory is already conceded by federal state.  We consider how the facility with service, repair and reserve fund for a new laser could be financed. The structure here consists different departments of university (from clinics to biology) which all have their own budgets and will use the multi-photon microscope. For the confocal microscopes and the spinning disc microscope at university a charge for system use must be paid. In my opinion this will be difficult for a multi-photon microscope as the prize for a new laser is up to 200000€.
>
> I would be glad to receive some information how is it organized in your facility.
>
> All the best!
> Katrin
>
> Katrin Roth
> Philipps-University of Marburg
> Institute of Molecular Biology and Tumor Research (IMT)
> Core Facility Multi-Photon Microscopy
> Emil-Mannkopff-Str. 2
> 35032 Marburg
> Germany
> Tel: [phone]
>