Re: MS walkup facility, is it possible?
RLNiece@aol.com
Wed, 7 Oct 1998 18:56:40 EDT
Lisa,=20
As we have discussed briefly since your message went out, we ran such an
operation at UCI last summer for a limited time (about 3 months, complime=
nts
of an instrument manufacturer that provided the instrument). We prepared=
a
workstation with aliquots of appropriate standards, matrices and other
supplies. Any research group that wanted to use the instrument sent a
representative to the installation training provided by the company.
Subsequent training was provided by our resident mass spectrometry expert=
, my
protein laboratory staff and the company when needed. We found that this
basic instrument (linear MALDI) was used more than 60 hours a week by all
levels of staff and scientists from undergraduates to full professors.
Feedback I have received indicates that open access was well received and=
even
the few weeks of instrument availability was productive. [However, we mu=
st
remember how often negative, or even critical, responses are not delivere=
d or
received.]
I think that Lisa=92s question should be addressed by the users of such a=
n
operation as well as the facility staff for the reasons mentioned in the
previous paragraph. It is the users community that ultimately decides if
self-service is productive and practical.
Ron