Becoming a User

First, you have to register for an account on our online booking system to become an authorized user. To get access to self-service equipment, all users have to be trained (and in some cases, assessed) so that they can follow standard operation procedures and be aware of necessary safety precautions. They can register for training sessions on our booking system. For equipment that requires operation assessment, instructors will inform users of the assessment criteria during the training. After gaining access, users can enter the corresponding rooms where the equipment is located in and the main office of BioCRF (Room 6127) 24/7, unless emergencies arise. As for applying for specialized services, please read the guidelines on the following pages: 1. Sequencing 2. Mass Spectrometry 3. Tissue Processing

Only the specific authorized user (but not other untrained users from the same group or department) is allowed to use the facilities in BioCRF. When making equipment reservations, authorized users should abide by the booking restrictions and rules of the equipment. Authorized users should sign the log books as appropriate and report any issues to BioCRF staff. Authorized users should ensure that the equipment is clean and in good working order after use. Authorized users should download their experimental data from the server of BioCRF. USB sticks and hard disks on BioCRF computers (except computers designated for data analysis) are strictly prohibited. If users do not show up for their reservations, or if they arrive 15 minutes later than their reservation start time, they will receive a no-show warning. Users also receive a warning from misusing or damaging any equipment. Upon receiving two, their access to the equipment will be suspended for at least a month. Any cost of repair due to the misuse of equipment will be charged to the account of the user's supervisor. The supervisor should inform users about the University's safety and environmental policies, as well as safety statements, standards and procedures related to the user's experiment. The supervisor should also inform the user of any potential hazard and safety precaution. In case of unexpected machine malfunction, users might not be able to continue their experiments and have to reschedule. Affected reservations will be cancelled.

Users can refer to our Data Download Guide for instructions. BioCRF does not use or back up users’ experimental data and we delete them periodically, users should download their files within 7 days.

With the proper acknowledgement of the use of our instruments and services in your publications (reports, presentations, papers, etc.) and grant applications, we get to measure our impact on the research community and assess if our resources are efficiently utilized. This metric is important for the continued funding and support of our operations and expansion - so that you could enjoy more high-quality instruments and services! ​ Any use of our resources should be acknowledged. Please acknowledge us as “Biosciences Central Research Facility, HKUST (Clear Water Bay)” in grant applications and the acknowledgement section of any publications.​ ​ Example: ​ We thank Biosciences Central Research Facility of HKUST (Clear Water Bay) to support the work in [flow cytometry/ histology/ general equipment/ genomics/ proteomics/ microscopy/ tissue culture*] core(s).​ *Please select the appropriate options Online form link: https://ust.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6rINfENc4b1YWeq