The Biomedical Engineering

             Atomic Force Microscopy Laboratory Management Plan


The following management plan shall apply to all users of the
Biomedical Engineering (BME) Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) laboratory.
You may also request a copy from the BME Administrator, Kirsten Gibbons.


                               Access

 1) The Director of the AFM lab is Dr. Gunjan Agarwal.

 2) Use of the specific AFM equipment shall require the advance approval
    of the Director. Such approval will only be granted to those users
    who are documented to have received appropriate certification
    training in laboratory procedures and equipment operation.

 3) While users may sign up to use the facilities anytime they are
    available, be sure there is sufficient time to complete your work
    without encroaching into the time slots of other scheduled users.
    An online AFM calendar is available for scheduling instrument time
    at the BME website (http://bmew.bme.ohio-state.edu/wcal).

 3.1) Users are encouraged to make reasonable time estimates when
    scheduling. It is the user's responsibility to cancel 2 days in
    advance for time slots that will not be used. If you will be late
    for your scheduled time, you must contact the Lab
    Technician/Director to hold your time slot. No-show time slots will
    be held 30 minutes, after which the lab technician may reassign the
    time to another user.

 4) If necessary due to usage demands, up to 60% of regular hours
    (8:00 am - 5:00 pm) time scheduled one week in advance may be
    reserved for BME/IGERT users only. The AFM Director will determine
    when demand requires enforcement of this priority scheduling.
    At all other times, scheduling is on a first-come-first-served basis.

 5) Individual PI's must approve core access for any of their research
    staff or students by authorizing the registration form and
    submitting it to the BME Administrator.

 6) Damage to the AFM resulting from misuse may result in loss of
    privileges and/or payment of repair costs.

 7) Users will be solely responsible for providing AFM cantilevers,
    syringes, and buffers (for wet imaging). AFM supplies may be
    purchased from the lab at cost, and will be charged to the
    Principal Investigator's research project.

 8) Any keys or other access devices issued to the users to permit them
    to have access to the AFM laboratory will be returned to BME
    immediately upon request at any time and upon termination of this
    agreement for any reason.

 9) All users shall keep true and accurate records of all dates and
    times in which they were present in the laboratory.

10) The Director of the AFM laboratory may terminate this agreement
    upon failure of the users to provide payment of its use of the
    facilities.

11) The User may cancel this agreement at any time, provided, however,
    that if the users should elect to cancel this agreement, it shall
    be and remain responsible for any costs or expenses incurred in
    good faith by the AFM laboratory.


                        AFM Pricing
Certification

   * A 1-day training (8 hrs.) with certification is provided at
     $300.00 for the day. A 1/2-day training (4 hrs.) may be provided
     to those users who have had some previous training on the AFM
     equipment at a cost of $150.00.

   * Certification is multi-leveled:
      - Unsupervised Users require no further assistance.
      - Partially Supervised Users must have supervision available
        in the lab.
      - Fully Supervised Users must have supervision with them at
        all times.

Usage

   OSU Faculty and Students

   * Free Technical assistance is available for all users.

   * The AFM usage fee is $200 per month (covers use of the AFM stubs,
     epoxy, tubing for wet imaging, and equipment maintenance) for
     unlimited use, subject to prior scheduling.

   * The AFM usage fee may be the same for users from other academic
     institutions, especially within Ohio.

   * BME/IGERT users will receive a 20% discount on the monthly rate for
     AFM usage.


   External/ Non-OSU

   * Technician assistance is available for $30.00 per hour for all
     external users.

   * The AFM usage fee is $30.00 per hour for all external users.


                        Quality Control

* The AFM equipment will be maintained and serviced on a monthly basis
  by the Director of the AFM Laboratory. Digital Instruments will
  complete a maintenance service on the AFM on a yearly basis.

* Samples requiring technical assistance from the Laboratory Technician
  or Director of the AFM will be finished within a 14-day time period.
  Any data or image processing, and costs involved can be discussed with
  the AFM Director.


I have read the Biomedical Engineering AFM facilities management plan
and agree to observe the policies contained in it. I have retained a
copy of this document for my records.


User Name (Print):______________________________________________________

Org: ____________ Fund: ________________________________________________

Program/ Project(s) authorized for charges: ____________________________

User (Signed): _________________________________________ Date: _________

Principal Investigator (Signed): ________________________Date: _________

AFM Director (Signed): __________________________________Date: _________


Please return the completed signed copy to:

     Kirsten Gibbons, Administrator, Biomedical Engineering,
     270 Bevis Hall,
     1080 Carmack Rd.,
     Columbus, Ohio 43210.

Phone: (614) 292-1625, Fax: (614) 292-7301, E-mail: gibbons.40@osu.edu