CBI Never a Square Peg in a Round Hole: Why and how to build large imaging facilities Simon C. Watkins Ph.D.

CBI Goals for presentation Why establish a large Imaging Center How to get money to establish a Center Space issues Funding and maintaining the Center

CBI WHY? Computer aided microscopy tools have become central to biomedical research over the last few years. In fact the imaging core is a centrally important intellectual component of this project, and has collaborated on over 20 papers in the last few years The facility is a total microscopy resource providing services and expertise to researchers in all aspects of microscopy from the traditional to cutting edge including: Light MicroscopyElectron microscopy Histology and histopathology Fine structure In situ hybridization Immuno electron microscopy Immunohistochemistry Freeze fracture Confocal microscopyEM autoradiograpy Live cell imagingHigh Resolution SEM Multicolor Fluorescence 2P, Hand held High speed fluorescence FRET, FLIP,FLIM,FRAPImage processing RATIOING, 6DMulticolor multiparameter image analysis Image reconstruction Stereology 5 dimensional image analysis Total Microscopy

CBI Rationale modern microscopy demands total microscopy, solutions continue from simple light microscopy to immuno-em, from multicolor fluorescence to video microscopy. – The cost of obtaining and maintaining these systems is beyond that of individual departments. – The complexity of the techniques and rapid development of technologies demands fulltime rather than casual involvement

CBI The establishment of an independent center removes departmental associations and allows: Acquisition of instrumentation from federal and internal sources Sharing of maintenance costs between users in different departments Highly skilled dedicated operators and intellectual assistance in protocol design

CBI Maintenance and expertise Service contracts: $75,000 divided amongst 15 grants=$5,000/user 16 Staff (Faculty, Post docs and Techs), each focused on Specialized areas (EM, LM, Computers, Confocal, Live cell and video, in situ hybridization, morphometry)

CBI How to establish a microscopy resource Leadership Startup funds Location Location Location Keys to success Funding

CBI Leadership For the Center to work it must be independant of departmental boundaries. Therefore: – The director should have developing and using the tools within the imaging center as his/her primary role. – Should be senior enough to be able to make decisions, get grants, run the show – Should be current in biology, microscopes, and computers.

CBI Startup Funding Startup needed for – renovation – equipment – Staff and supplies Independence leads to success, it allows one to: – centralize instrumentation from different departments – request institutional funding – obtain center funds on grants

CBI Startup 2: Central admin will and do respect the logic of centralization from the pov Space Cost REDUNDANCY!

CBI Building the center Space is precious to the institution – Traditional problems of vibration and electrical noise are no longer significant – Microscopes fit in small dark rooms so odd shaped areas are fine for the purpose – Space designed as a microscopy center tends to be useless for much else

CBI TEM SEM Oon focal2 freeze fracture FreezersLM prep EM prep Computers Live cell conf Oca 1l LM Con focal 3 Con focal 4 From cafeteria to imaging center Equipment Multiple Electron (TEM and SEM) and light Microscopes (Fluorescence, Confocal Live Cell etc). Support equipment: Cryostats, large computer Network, Ultramicrotomes. Staff 2 faculty 4 postdocs 12 research specialists multiple research assistants

CBI Funding To Bill or Not to Bill: Billing is – Service interaction Not collaborative – Unreliable First thing to go in hard times Does not allow budgeting Will not cover costs in the long run – With institutional support does allow long term planning

CBI Funding To Bill or Not to Bill: Sponsored research is – Collaborative – Allows stability in funding – Allows Budgeting (for period of award) – Allows vision – If you don’t get a grant you are in a tough place – Funding is increasingly competitive – Instrumentation grants are incredibly useful

CBI Funding Collaborative R01s – Small but reliable contribution to budget ($10- 20K) – Very interactive P01/P50/U01 etc – “imaging core” – Larger $$s (up to $150K) – Allow thematic development Instrumentation grants Deep tissue imaging for example

CBI Hybrid model Ideal solution is a mix of grants and billing – Even if you run on grants having a billing account allows payment for replacements/new toys/cameras etc without writing a grant – Grants allows autonomy – Billing allows flexibility