FAQs

No. Although a major part of our user base is from Harvard and Harvard affiliated institutions, we are happy to accommodate external users.  We provide microscope access to the Greater Boston area and beyond for both academic and industry users. If you are from outside of Harvard, please make sure to look at the detailed instructions for registration.

YES!  This is how we justify our existence and continue to provide you with the best imaging resources available!  We suggest the following text in the acknowledgements section of your paper:

"We thank the Harvard Center for Biological Imaging (RRID:SCR_018673) for infrastructure and support."

If you think a particular staff member(s) went above and beyond, please also mention them by name or consider making them a co-author according to this policy.

 

We have 3 physical locations

1. The main HCBI facility is located in RM 2052 of the Biological Laboratories (16 Divinity Ave, Cambridge)
2. The Live Cell Imaging facility is located in RM 133 in the Sherman Fairchild Building (7 Divinity Ave, Cambridge)
3. The Optical Imaging Core is located in RM 2.124 in the Science and Engineering Complex (150 Western  Ave, Allston) 

Click here for a map!

Transportation

Cambridge facilities public transportation and parking options  

Allston options coming soon

Unfortunately, none of the HCBI computers are able to access the internet (including workstations).  For HCBI users without HUIT credentials, you can connect to the Harvard Guest Network by following the directions here.

Instructions for requesting a billing code 

 

1. Log into SPINAL (https://webapps.sciences.fas.harvard.edu/spinal/).

2. Under "Resources," locate the microscope you'd like to reserve.

3. Click on the "(NOTE: expense code needed)" link.

4. Complete a brief online form. (If you are an undergrad or G1 choose Shanna deBlieck as your PI and Taylor Chang as your approver)

5. An email will be sent to the lab admin requesting that they enter the expense code.

6. Once the coding has been entered you will get an email letting you know that you can now make reservations.

7. Internal ONLY. Every night a script is run that adds your expense code(s) to all microscopes in the HCBI. This eliminates the need to submit coding requests for each microscope you wish to use.

The HCBI doors are unlocked 8AM-7PM Monday to Friday.  If you require access to the facility outside these hours, and have completed your general lab safety training and the commercial laser safety training programs through the EHS website, you can request after-hours access from hcbi_admin@fas.harvard.edu.  After-hours access is only granted to undergrads after they have been using the facility for a few weeks and demonstrate that they are well versed in the use of the equipment (this does not apply to courses using the facility).