General Rules

• The number of people in the room should be kept to a minimum, avoid over crowding.
• Keep the room free of clutter: always remove empty bottles, used dishes, etc. whenyou have finished.
• Food and drink are never allowed in the facility.
• Always check to make sure the incubators are closed before opening the doors to the room.
• Always label partially full sleeves of dishes, flasks, vials, etc. with your initials andthe date opened.
• Be sure to discard Pasteur pipets, broken glass, used syringes and needles in the appropriate glass boxes and sharpies boxes. Never throw them in the wastebasket.
• Hemacytometers should be rinsed with 70% EtOH and wrapped in kimwipes afteruse. Do not leave them lying around.
• Sign up for the hoods and finish on time, be considerate of those who have signed up after you.
• Clean the hoods before and after use with 70% EtOH. Never leave a dirty hood.
• Some stock items will be left in the hood by the TC staff for general use. Do not leave anything else in the hood when you are finished. Cluttered hoods do not perform properly.
• Never use pipets stuffed with cotton with the vacuum system. Make sure you remove the cotton before using them with suction.
• Be courteous and replace the general use items when you are finished. If you can’tlocate something ask a member of the TC staff for help.
• Refrigeration space is at a minimum. Keep your TC media in your own lab.
• Do not use other people’s media or supplies without asking first. Never use TC corefacility reagents unless you are given permission.
• Turn off the gas and suction when you are finished. Turn on the UV light after you have finished cleaning the hood.
• Limit the opening and closing of the incubators as much as possible. Make sure you are wearing gloves that have been rinsed in 70% EtOH when placing or removingcells from the incubator.
• Rinse all bottles in 70% EtOH before placing them in the hood.
• Keep an eye on your cultures. If you have contaminated cultures remove them immediately and add bleach. Do not open them in the TC room. If you notice someone else has a contaminated culture notify them or the TC staff immediately.
• Ask Rupa Tripathi what incubator space is appropriate foryour use. We eventually plan to have a separate incubator for general use but for nowget prior approval from Rupa.

The Instruments and Apparatus

Make sure you know how to operate the instruments before using. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Using the Balance

• Before using the balance, make sure the red safety button is pulled out. Push the button in when you are finished.
• Avoid jarring the balance pan during use. The operating lever should be pointingstraight up whenever material is added or removed.
• The sliding doors on the balance should be closed when the balance is not in use.
• Be sure the scale is clean after you use it. Brush off the platform using the brush that is in the drawer below the scale. Gently blow off any material on the pan. Never put any stress on the pan, this will damage the balance.

Using the pH Meter

• Keep the pH meter on standby when not in use; do not turn it off.
• Rinse the electrode with d-water and wipe it gently with a kim wipe before use. Rinseand return the electrode to its cylinder after use.
• Do not leave the electrode out of solution for any long periods of time.

Using the water baths

• Do not overfill the water baths, fill it only to the line on the side of the bath.
• Do not store media in the water baths. Media takes 20-25 minutes to warm to 37o C.

Other

• If you are the last to leave for the day make sure the doors are locked, the lights are turned out, and the refrigerator and incubator doors are shut tight.
• This is a shared CVRC Facility not a core in the traditional sense. Personnel will beglad to help you when possible, but are not CVRC paid employees and you should request assistance not expect/demand it.
• If in doubt about something, ask/call Rupa Tripathi what is appropriate rather than moving ahead and potentially getting yourself in trouble.
• This list is only a small set of guidelines for you to use. If you’ll use common sense and consideration for others the facility should operate smoothly. If you do not follow these rules you will be warned and if you do not improve you will be barred from using the facility.