Cryo EM Facility Policies
Access & Eligibility
The facility is open to UConn Health researchers and to external academic and industry users. New users begin by submitting the Submission Form and completing a brief consultation.
Scheduling & Cancellation
Instrument time is reserved through the scheduling and billing system, Honeycrisp. Please cancel or reschedule at least 48 hours in advance; late cancellations for reserved microscope time may be billed.
Sample Submission & Handling
- Samples must be accompanied by a completed Submission Form, including buffer, concentration, and hazard information
- Biological samples must be non-infectious / appropriately inactivated and BSL-1 compatible unless arranged in advance
- Provide sample-specific handling, storage temperature, and any special requirements
Safety
Cryogens (liquid nitrogen and liquid/gaseous ethane) are used during vitrification and imaging. All work follows UConn Health EH&S guidelines for cryogen handling, oxygen monitoring, and PPE. Users operating equipment must complete facility safety training.
Data Storage & Retention
Raw data are retained on facility storage for [retention period] following collection; users are responsible for transferring and archiving their own data. The facility is not a long-term data repository.
Authorship & Acknowledgment
Please acknowledge the facility in all publications and presentations that use facility services, data, or instrumentation, and notify the facility of resulting publications (required for instrumentation / S10 grant reporting). Substantial intellectual contribution to experimental design, data collection, or interpretation may warrant co-authorship, per standard norms.
Suggested acknowledgment: "Cryo-EM specimen preparation and/or imaging were performed at the UConn Health Cryo Electron Microscopy Facility, Cell and Genome Sciences Building, University of Connecticut Health Center. We thank the facility staff for assistance. The facility's Tundra Cryo-TEM was acquired through NIH/NIGMS high-end instrumentation (HEI) grant 1S10OD032156-01."