Re: Has anyone prepared a poll for PI's to help plan future purchases?

Posted by Craig Brideau on
URL: http://confocal-microscopy-list.275.s1.nabble.com/Has-anyone-prepared-a-poll-for-PI-s-to-help-plan-future-purchases-tp7588358p7588365.html

*****
To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
Post images on http://www.imgur.com and include the link in your posting.
*****

Good points Thomas! Instruments at a higher level of sophistication are
best relegated to core facilities: The cost of the instruments is high
enough that a single researcher can often not justify the purchase.
Additionally, the core facility can maintain the on-site expertise
necessary to operate the equipment long-term. I have often seen high-end
equipment sitting unused as the one postdoc that knew how to use it has
long since left. The staff of a core facility maintains the knowledge base
for the equipment.

Craig

On Wed, Jun 13, 2018 at 8:23 AM Phillips, Thomas E. <[hidden email]>
wrote:

> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> Post images on http://www.imgur.com and include the link in your posting.
> *****
>
> I agree with Tim about PI's expressing keen interest in the latest
> technology but then never showing up to use it. The other key problem in a
> core is competing with individuals or departments that have similar
> instruments like a confocal. I think it is important to have a really well
> equipped basic confocal (e.g., White light laser, bunch of HyD (or
> equivalent detectors), environmental box) so that you have an edge over the
> lab that has a low end "personal" confocal that could siphon off your user
> base.
>
> You also need a wide-field system to attract the labs that don't do any
> microscopy so you can groom them into becoming serious microscopists using
> confocal or whatever. This needs a really good camera attached to it.
>
> After that, get people to commit a little money to bigger upgrades like
> STED or MP so you can see the depth of their interest.
>
>
>
> Thomas E. Phillips, Ph.D
> Professor of Biological Sciences
> Curators’ Distinguished Teaching Professor
> Director, Molecular Cytology Core
> 2 Tucker Hall
> University of Missouri
> Columbia, MO 65211-7400
> 573-882-4712 (office)
> 573-882-0123 (fax)
> [hidden email]
>
> http://www.biology.missouri.edu/faculty/phillips.html
> http://microscopy.missouri.edu
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Confocal Microscopy List [mailto:[hidden email]]
> On Behalf Of Feinstein, Timothy N
> Sent: Wednesday, June 13, 2018 8:07 AM
> To: [hidden email]
> Subject: Re: Has anyone prepared a poll for PI's to help plan future
> purchases?
>
> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> Post images on http://www.imgur.com and include the link in your posting.
> *****
>
> That definitely helps, but I have found that a lot more people say they
> are interested in a new technology than end up using it.  There's an army
> of beautiful, rarely used instruments out there.  For example I remember
> seeing a multiphoton head that spent its whole working life as a DAPI
> laser.  I endorse finding how many people are already committed to the kind
> of work where X technology will clearly help, along with new faculty who
> have hands-on experience with the tech in question, and giving weight to
> their needs.
>
> Best,
>
>
> T
>
> Timothy Feinstein, Ph.D.
> Research Scientist
>
> Department of Developmental Biology
> University of Pittsburgh
>
>
>
>
>
> On 6/13/18, 3:48 AM, "Confocal Microscopy List on behalf of Avi Jacob" <
> [hidden email] on behalf of [hidden email]> wrote:
>
>     *****
>     To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
>
> https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Flists.umn.edu%2Fcgi-bin%2Fwa%3FA0%3Dconfocalmicroscopy&data=01%7C01%7Ctnf8%40PITT.EDU%7Cfc2f22b8b0234a880a1308d5d1020ede%7C9ef9f489e0a04eeb87cc3a526112fd0d%7C1&sdata=Rft5oE9YSYz%2FFlvXGCXbvwdZna2frywo%2Bmit2JyqXJI%3D&reserved=0
>     Post images on
> https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.imgur.com&data=01%7C01%7Ctnf8%40PITT.EDU%7Cfc2f22b8b0234a880a1308d5d1020ede%7C9ef9f489e0a04eeb87cc3a526112fd0d%7C1&sdata=IT1SdrEYBzxE09c4qvLDkVuMfSr3ptVV21vajOxWUDQ%3D&reserved=0
> and include the link in your posting.
>     *****
>
>     Hi all,
>
>     Before reinventing the wheel, I was wondering if anyone has prepared a
> poll
>     to find out what equipment should be on one's list of future purchases.
>     There is so much going on now in light microscopy, and so many things
> from
>     multiple solutions for lightsheet, through FLIM, automated clearing
>     systems, 2 and 3p, brightfield systems, re-scan systems, mass cytometry
>     (not exactly light), simple live systems and more.
>
>     Thanks,
>     Avi
>
>
>     --
>     Avi Jacob, Ph.D.
>     Head of Light Microscopy
>     Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel
>
> https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftinyurl.com%2FBIU-Microscopy&data=01%7C01%7Ctnf8%40PITT.EDU%7Cfc2f22b8b0234a880a1308d5d1020ede%7C9ef9f489e0a04eeb87cc3a526112fd0d%7C1&sdata=RR%2BoO5SQAWSsZw%2BlY7vPXXjcxdgl3aG105oFYIPZvI4%3D&reserved=0
>
>
>