| Consultation and Drop-Off Hours: Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm (except UTSW holidays) (Deliveries may be left at MP1 Suite 625 if we are out of the office – We spend much of our time in laboratories and clinics on campus.)
Collaborations and Projects: We encourage PI's to discuss collaborative projects in which Bioinstrumentation staff can participate. These projects are assessed on a case-by-case basis and principally involve complex and/or time-consuming development of novel instrumentation and techniques. Some examples of design, development and implementation projects follow:
- Systems for computer controlled electrophysiology stimulation with response monitoring for in vitro muscle physiology experiments. These include skeletal muscle, heart, uterine, bladder, and nerve cell explants and cultures;
- Systems for human subject stimulation, testing and monitoring, including physiological, neural, and psychological measurements;
- Automation and computer enhancement of laboratory and clinical measurements to provide performance beyond that available in standard commercial instruments. Examples include: ultra high speed shutter control for time gated and delayed fluorescence spectrophotometry; laser excitation for molecular spectroscopy in NMR magnet fields; automation of ELISA measurements; enhanced control of PCR; control of mass spectrometry inlet and sample input systems; control and monitoring of protein crystallization and separations;
- Electroforming of alumina nanocells; electrophoresis, dielectrophoresis, electrodepositon and electrodissolution;
- Enhanced and novel clinical and diagnostic and therapeutic procedures using magnetic field separations; magnetic field stimulation; programmed electrostimulation; multielectrode stimulation for tissue growth
- Microfluidics, cell counting, cell separation techniques;
- Tissue mechanics; testing and enhancement of sutures, tissue scaffolding, and surgical adhesives;
- Accurate recording and measurement of movement and tremors in animal subjects and human patients;
- Wireless monitoring of physiological parameters for experimental and clinical applications: pressure, pH, temperature, humidity, impedance, blood oxygen, glucose, etc.
Technical and Engineering Services: The Bioinstrumentation Resource Center provides engineering and technical support to UT Southwestern research and clinical laboratories on a cost recovery basis. Services available include:
- Equipment and instrument calibration, repair, and preventive maintenance.
- Custom modifications, enhancements, and integration of off-the-shelf laboratory instruments to give UT Southwestern a competitive edge in research and service, and to meet special needs not covered by commercially available equipment.
- Design, fabrication, and integration of novel apparatus and devices.
- Interfacing of laboratory instruments to computers for data acquisition and control.
- Writing of embedded control software for laboratory experiments.
- Design documentation, including engineering calculations, drafting, computer aided design, finite element analysis, simulation, and assistance with preparation of background documents for patent and FDA applications.
- Consultation for planning, selection, installing, and choosing instrumentation and service providers for laboratories.
- Assistance with solving problems in the design of experimental apparatus, operation of instruments, and capture and interpretation of data.
- Training in aspects of laboratory instrumentation, LabView programming, interfacing, troubleshooting and preventive maintenance.
Estimating, Reporting, Priority and Expediting:
- For estimates on large projects (such as engineering or programming work), estimate charges will be based on a detailed engineering estimate. Engineering estimates require time and resources to prepare. If the estimate is for a new type of project, the client may be asked to pay the costs of engineering work, drawings, calculations, and tests required to develop the estimate, and an estimate of these costs will be provided without charge for approval before the estimate is made.
- Although Bioinstrumentation will make every effort to keep charges within the estimated cost, estimates cannot be guaranteed. Bioinstrumentation will notify a customer before continuing with work that will exceed the estimated cost.
- An estimate will be available for all jobs before work is begun. For all jobs with estimated costs over $100, the client must approve the estimate in writing.
- A printed Work Order Report detailing all charges will be available with each completed order. A status report will be available for all orders not completed at any time on request.
- Work Orders are generally handled in the order in which they were received unless expedited service is requested (50% higher rate applies). Expediting (special scheduling of work on short notice) costs more because it interrupts the flow of scheduled work in Bioinstrumentation. Expediting may be necessary to care for urgent problems. It may represent a good value for the laboratory, for example if it avoids down-time on instruments that are needed for continual use.
Payment Terms:
- Payment can be made with a paper IDR.
- Before Bioinstrumentation can open and schedule an order to perform work or order parts, the customer must provide a requisition number and an account number. (These numbers can be telephoned, faxed or emailed. Bioinstrumentation will need the paper IDR before the work is started.)
- Mechanical repairs and work is warranted.
Equipment Pick-up/Delivery:
- Our technicians can pick up equipment to be serviced anywhere on UTSW facilities. Equipment may be dropped off at building MP1. Our engineers and technicians are also able to work on equipment on site.
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