Carnegie Mellon University

Policies

The CMA is primarily a user-operated center, although sample-drop-off is possible for mass spectrometry analysis. The CMA is open 24 hours a day, every day, for Carnegie Mellon users and non-Carnegie Mellon affiliates. Non-Carnegie Mellon users may use the center with permission from the Director.

Before you arrive

  • Training
    • Users must receive training
    • If more than 3 samples per month are expected, training to become a user-operator is recommended for faster turnaround time and lower cost to the user.
  • Reserving Instruments

What to do when you arrive

  • Log your charge number in the Excel instrument log located on the computer desktop of each instrument
  • Users paying by PO should have already provided an electronic copy of PO to CMA director or assistant by email 
  • Please report all instrument problems to the director or assistant in the CMA.

Policies regarding CMA instruments and computers

  • All maintenance of the instrumentation are done by the staff of the CMA, unless given permission by the Director.
  • Users are not permitted to make any repairs. Please report all instrument problems to someone in the CMA.
  • CMA computers are for instrumentation use and/or data manipulation.  You are not permitted to use a computer for anything else to avoid problems from viruses or unauthorized software.

What to do when you are done

  • You are responsible for archiving your own data. Please bring your own media (e.g. flash drives).
  • The CMA is not responsible for any data left on computer hard drives.
  • Clean up after yourself; remove all samples and dispose of all waste.
  • You may only take research tools (e.g. the UV-Vis fiber optic probe) out of the CMA with permission from the Director and after signing the item out.

Invoicing

  • Invoicing occurs quarterly.
  • Instrument charges will change without prior warning.
  • Hourly charges are based on the logon time.

Acknowledgements in Publications

  • Researchers using these instruments should acknowledge the Center for Molecular Analysis and the specific Director and the Assistant in their publications.
  • Specific use of the mass spectrometers should acknowledge the Center for Molecular Analysis and the instrument grants used:
    • NSF grant number CHE-9808188 for the MALDI-TOF-MS
    • NSF grant number DBI-9729351 for the ESI-QIT-MS.

Sample Drop-off