User Guide

Bioresearch Support Core

Overview

User Account Registration

All HKU users must use HKU Portal ID to log in or create account for the PPMS online booking system. Please contact us at fmbcores.cpos@hku.hk if you have any problems.
Users must associate to their supervisor “Group” and attend training before making bookings.
Registration is subjected to the PI/Supervisor’s consensus, whom should provide a valid payment account for settling usage charge
User guides of the Online Booking System are available here for USER and SUPERVISOR respectively

Please contact fmbcores.cpos@hku.hk or 39177557 for any question of creating account or login.

Training

User must attend training offered by CPOS before booking and use of each instrument.
For monthly training schedules, please click HERE
Trainings should be applied in PPMS, under “Request” tab > Select one of the forms under “Training Request” and fill in accordingly. After submission of the training request, our staff will contact you in 3 working days.
Training is based on a first-come first-served policy. The training course is scheduled monthly and will be cancelled if no request is received one week before the scheduled date. Extra training session may be scheduled depending on the demand.
Training quota is limited. User should apply training only when their sample would be ready within 2 months after training date, to avoid abuse of training quota.
The first training of each instrument is free of charge. Training record will be EXPIRED if the instrument is not being use by training attendant within TWO MONTHS after training. Any subsequent TRAINING FOR THE SAME INSTRUMENT WILL BE CHARGED at a rate of $200/session.
In the training, users will learn the basic operation of the equipment; data acquisition and analysis.
Training will be done with demo sample. If user would like to bring his/her own sample for trial, please discuss with the trainer in advance.
Upon completion of training, attendants will be classified as NOVICE user for this specific equipment in online booking system. Novice user should review the training content and standard operation protocol to get familiar with the instrument. Novice user should request technical assistance their first 2 booking sessions

Booking

Booking is required for using any instruments, including computers for analysis software.
Booking should be made in the online booking system PPMS. Please refer to the training video Booking.
Each user must use his/her own account to make the booking and must be present for the instrument’s operation.
Users are classified into two levels: Novice and Experienced(Autonomous). An assessment is required for upgrade of user status.
Novice user: Office Hour Only; Technical support is on request; Same day booking is allowed.
Experienced user: Booking of non-office hour (24h/7d) is allowed.
Booking can be made in advance of maximum 14 days.
Booking is based base on session of 30 minutes. Users need to book for at least of one session. Booking is limited to maximum of 20 hours per week. User can contact corresponding technical staff for exception condition.
Cancellation should be made as early as possible but at least 24 hours in advance of the scheduled booking
User’s booking privilege might be downgraded or suspended if a total of 10 times or 20 hours of cancellation is found within three months
Users must inform staff-in-charge during office hours for overrun of experiment beyond the booking time. Overrun will only be allowed if there is no overlapped booking. Users should book time slots through online booking system by themselves for overrun of experiment beyond the scheduled time.

User Responsibility

Users should use the core’s instrument carefully and properly.
Users should read and follow steps in the standard operation protocol.
Users are not allowed to move, remove, or reconfigure hardware/software settings without permission from corresponding staff in charge.
Users must sign on the log sheets before and after using the instrument.
Users should keep the instrument station clean and tidy. Sample and other belongings should be removed.
Users should report problems related to the instrument in the logbook or to the staff-in-charge.

Transfer of Data Files

All data files generated from the instrument must be saved in local D/E/F drive in directory of: Users/Department/PI/User Name
Users are not allowed to use USB devices on the computers directly connected to the equipment
All files must be transfered through Core’s Data Transfer Serve immediately after the use of instrument. User may follow guide for Data Uploading and downloading in FAQ page.
Users should disconnect from the server once data transfer is completed. Do NOT use the server for any other purpose.
Users should download the data from server as soon as possible, check the integrity of the downloaded data and then remove the data in the server. Data older than one month will be deleted without further notice.
Users should build their own data storage and back-up system. The Core’s server is NOT for storage/back-up purpose.
Data files would only be kept in instrument computer for TWO weeks ONLY. Old data in equipment computer will be removed regularly.
Data files kept on server will be automatically deleted 30 days after the last modified date of the data files. IT team does not provide data recovery service.
Users can also download data in computers (for data transfer or data processing) in the laboratory of the Core.

Registration for access to Data Transfer Server

User can register to access the Data Transfer Server for the Core with the steps described below.

Fill in the E-mail with HKU email Only (uid@hku.hk or uid@connect.hku.hk), Do NOT use email alias. Fill in your full name and password
Click ‘Register’ to submit. A confirmation email will be sent to your HKU e-mail account.

Check your registered mailbox for email titled “CPOS Imaging and Flow Cytometry Core Network Server Account Registration Confirmation”.

Complete the registration by clicking on the confirmation link in the email received.

Follow the instructions at FAQ for using the server.

Safety and Security

User should wear gloves and lab coat when working with samples in CPOS’ labs. Other Personal protective equipment (PPE) may also be used when appropriate.
No gloves should come into direct contact with computer accessories and with areas accessible to the other personnel, including door handles and switches.
For samples with bio-hazardous materials (e.g. live virus or bacteria), please fill the biosafety form and contact the Lab Manager (Dr. Guo Jing) in advance.
User should be aware of the closest fire escape route, emergency shower and first aid box.
Entry of unauthorized personnel (family, friends etc) into Core’s lab is not allowed.
Drinking and eating are not allowed in all rooms.
All labs in the Core are under 24 hours surveillance monitoring.
User should be aware of Laser safety when using instrument equipped with high power laser. All eye or skin exposures to laser beam must be reported to the core’s staff and the Safety Office immediately.
Animal tissue or corpse must be disposed at user lab but not in Core. Other biological waste and sharp could be disposed into biohazard waste container or sharp box respectively if transfer to user’s lab is not feasible.
The main entrance doors must be kept locked at all times in non-office hour.
The last user of the day must turn off the light in the room and lock the doors.

Acknowledging the Bioresearch Support Core of CPOS

The Bioresearch Support Core of CPOS of the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine is jointly funded by the University Development Fund and the Faculty of Medicine. It is important that the use of our facility is properly acknowledged in your publications, grant applications and seminars. Acknowledgment not only helps us to demonstrate the impact that we have contributed to our research community, it also helps tremendously in our future effort to secure funding and support to bring you more instruments and services.

We respectfully urge you to acknowledge the Bioresearch Support Core of CPOS in your publications, seminars, etc. We also encourage personal acknowledgment if any of our facility staff made a significant contribution to your experimental design, data acquisition, or data analysis, etc. Acknowledgment at the authorship-level would be strongly appreciated when extensive collaborative efforts are involved.

Reporting Publications

Please email a soft copy (PDF format) of your publication containing data generated in our core to fmbcores.cpos@hku.hk or drop off a hard copy at our facility L6-11. A free hour use of instrument will be granted for every publication or citation reported to us (with proper acknowledgement of the Core).

Letters of Support

Letters of support can be issed by the Core for grant applications. To obtain a support letter, please contact Ms. Stella Law or Ms. Vivian Chow by email enquiry.cpos@hku.hk AND provide with the following information:

Full name of principle investigator
Department
Project title
Funding institute