Laboratory "Center for Collective Use of Scientific Instruments of NAS of Ukraine"
Head
Ph.D. (Mol. Biol.),
Dmytro S. Gurianov
Tel. (044) 200-03-56;
Е-mail: dmitriy.gurianov@edu.imbg.org.ua
The Laboratory “Center for Collective Use of Scientific Instruments of IMBG NAS of Ukraine” operates within the Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine from 2022. The Center was established to support the efficient use of modern scientific equipment, facilitate research projects, and promote interinstitutional scientific cooperation.
The Laboratory “Center for Collective Use of Scientific Instruments of IMBG NAS of Ukraine” provides organizational and expert access to modern methods in molecular biology, genetics, genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics, biotechnology, and related fields. The Center is focused on supporting fundamental and applied research, interinstitutional cooperation, scientific and technological development, educational programs, and the implementation of modern molecular biology approaches in research practice.
Cooperation may take the form of work performed by Institute specialists, joint planning and implementation of research projects, expert consultation, analysis of obtained data, or user training. The specific format of cooperation is determined individually, depending on the research task, availability of equipment and personnel, type of samples, requirements for consumables, biosafety, ethics, and technical feasibility.
Information on the approved cost of specific paid services may be published on the Institute’s official website. For non-standard or contract-based work, the cost is calculated after review of the application on the basis of a cost estimate, calculation, tariff, or another document prepared in accordance with the established procedure and is recorded in the relevant agreement, order, or specification. Employees of the Institute and institutions of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine may be granted free or subsidized access within established quotas, provided that equipment operation and consumable costs are covered in accordance with the established procedure. For higher education institutions, other research institutions, and partner organizations, access conditions are determined in accordance with the Access Regulations, agreements, grants, joint projects, or other approved arrangements.
Possible Areas of Work and Research Collaboration Involving the Research Infrastructure of IMBG NAS of Ukraine
The Center may consider applications not only for access to equipment included in the Center, but also — with the involvement of relevant specialists and structural units of the Institute — for work or research collaboration involving the broader research infrastructure of IMBG NAS of Ukraine in the following areas:
- next-generation sequencing, genomic, transcriptomic, epigenomic, and metagenomic studies;
- gene expression analysis, RT-qPCR, digital PCR, development and validation of PCR-based systems;
- analysis of DNA methylation and other epigenetic modifications;
- synthesis of DNA/RNA oligonucleotides;
- expression of recombinant proteins and development of antibodies;
- rational design of biologically active compounds, chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis, and development of biosensors;
- creation of databases, bioinformatics support, and use of a high-performance computing cluster;
- expert support, advanced training, and specialist education.
This list is indicative and not exhaustive. It describes possible areas of work and research collaboration involving the Institute’s research infrastructure and does not imply that every type of work or service is performed exclusively using equipment currently included in the Center. The possibility of performing a specific type of work, providing a service, or implementing another form of collaboration is determined after review of the application, taking into account equipment availability, availability of relevant specialists, technical feasibility, requirements for samples and consumables, biosafety, ethics, and organizational conditions.
Who May Apply to the Center
Applications for access to equipment or services of the Center may be submitted by:
- employees of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine;
- employees of other institutions of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine;
- employees of higher education institutions;
- employees of other research institutions;
- foreign researchers and other foreign users;
- public scientific organizations;
- legal entities, regardless of their form of ownership, that have scientific, scientific-technical, or research units;
- organizations engaged in scientific, scientific-technical, innovation, or applied activities;
- business entities, including representatives of business, start-ups, and the industrial sector, provided that this does not contradict the purpose of use of the specific equipment, the terms of the agreement, and the legislation of Ukraine.
Documents
- Regulations on the Center for Collective Use of Scientific Instruments of IMBG NAS of Ukraine: LINK_TO_FACILITY_REGULATIONS
- Regulations on Access to the Equipment of the Center for Collective Use of Scientific Instruments: LINK_TO_REGULATIONS
- Application Form for Access to the Equipment of the Center for Collective Use of Scientific Instruments: LINK_TO_APPLICATION_FORM
- List of Equipment of the Center for Collective Use of Scientific Instruments.
How to Submit an Application
To request access to equipment or the performance of work involving the Center, the applicant should complete the application form and send it by email to: dmitriy.gurianov@edu.imbg.org.ua. Contact person: PhD, Head of the Laboratory “Center for Collective Use of Scientific Instruments of IMBG NAS of Ukraine” Dmytro Gurianov.
The recommended email subject line is: Application for Access to the Equipment of the Center for Collective Use of Scientific Instruments of IMBG NAS of Ukraine.
The application should include information about the applicant, institution or organization, user category, basis for using the equipment, project or research topic, source of funding if available, requested equipment, purpose and approximate scope of work, type of samples, need for consumables, need for operator support, and any other technical or organizational requirements.
Important Notice
Submission of an application does not constitute automatic approval of access to the Center’s equipment or automatic acceptance of the requested work. The application serves as the basis for considering the possibility of access to equipment, reservation of working time, performance of a service, or organization of joint work, taking into account:
- the technical capabilities of the specific equipment;
- compliance of samples with method requirements and safety rules;
- availability of equipment during the requested period;
- availability of a responsible person or operator;
- need for user instruction or knowledge assessment;
- availability or possibility of providing consumables;
- funding conditions, agreement terms, or cost reimbursement arrangements;
- compliance of the planned work with the legislation of Ukraine, internal regulations of the Institute, and the Regulations on Access.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find the list of the Center’s equipment?
The list of equipment of the Center for Collective Use of Scientific Instruments is available at: https://imbg.org.ua/en/colusage/. Separate access conditions, operating modes, requirements for operator support, sample requirements, and consumable requirements may apply to each instrument.
I do not see the required work or service in the public list. May I still submit a request?
Yes. The absence of a type of work or service from the public list does not necessarily mean that it cannot be performed or organized using the Institute’s research infrastructure. Some types of work may require individual planning, selection of equipment, involvement of relevant specialists or structural units of the Institute, calculation of consumable requirements, assessment of sample requirements, or determination of a specific format of collaboration. To assess such a possibility, please submit an application or contact the Center by email with a brief description of the task, sample type, expected result, and preferred research method.
How can I reserve working time on an instrument?
Reservation of working time is possible after the application has been reviewed and preliminary approval for access to the relevant equipment has been granted. A user may be allowed to reserve time after completing the required instruction, knowledge assessment if necessary, approval of the operating mode for the instrument, and, where applicable, agreement on operator support. Until a separate electronic booking system is implemented, working time may be coordinated by email or through the person responsible for the instrument.
Does submission of an application mean that working time on the instrument has already been reserved?
No. Submission of an application does not constitute a reservation of working time. Reservation is possible only after review of the application, approval of access, and coordination of a specific working period with the responsible person or instrument operator.
Does the Center provide paid services?
Yes. The Center may provide paid services included in the approved list of paid services. The Institute may also perform contract-based work using the Center’s equipment and/or other research infrastructure in the format specified in the relevant agreement, order, or specification. Depending on the approved list and the terms of the relevant document, paid services may include hourly access to equipment, operator-assisted work, one-time work with a defined result, use of consumables, data processing, or other agreed components.
How is the cost of paid services calculated?
Financial terms are determined depending on the nature of the work, user category, type of equipment, need for operator support, number of machine-hours, use of consumables, agreement terms, grant project, or other basis for performing the work. Information on the approved cost of specific paid services or access to equipment may be published on the Institute’s official website if the relevant services, tariffs, calculations, or cost estimates have been approved and published in accordance with the established procedure. For non-standard or contract-based work, the cost is calculated after review of the application on the basis of a cost estimate, calculation, tariff, or another document prepared in accordance with the established procedure and is recorded in the relevant agreement, order, or specification.
Where can I find the prices for paid services or access to equipment?
Information on the approved cost of specific paid services, access to equipment, or the procedure for calculating the cost may be published on the Institute’s official website. If the requested work does not have a predefined and published cost, the cost is calculated after review of the application, taking into account the type of equipment, complexity and duration of the work, need for operator support, consumables, sample preparation, data processing, and other necessary expenses. The calculation is documented by a cost estimate, calculation, tariff, or another document in accordance with the established procedure.
I work for a foreign organization. Can I access the Center’s instruments or use the Center’s services?
Yes. Foreign researchers and other foreign users may apply for access to equipment or services of the Center. The possibility of performing the work is considered with regard to technical conditions, requirements of Ukrainian legislation, conditions of international cooperation, contractual restrictions, safety requirements, source of funding, and the specific nature of the project.
I work at an institution of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine or at a higher education institution. Can I access the equipment if my organization does not have a separate budget line for access to unique equipment?
Such a possibility may be considered individually. Employees of the Institute and institutions of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine may be granted free or subsidized access within established quotas, provided that equipment operation and consumable costs are covered in accordance with the established procedure. For employees of higher education institutions, other research institutions, and partner organizations, access conditions are determined in accordance with the Access Regulations, agreements, grants, joint projects, or other approved arrangements.
At the same time, access conditions depend on the specific instrument, technical complexity of the work, equipment availability, need for operator support, use of expensive or specific consumables, need for maintenance, sample preparation, data processing, and other actual costs. Therefore, even in cases of free or subsidized access, certain expenses may require reimbursement, provision of the user’s own consumables, or another agreed mechanism for supporting the work.
I am carrying out work within a national or international grant. Can I use grant funds to pay for the Center’s services or access to equipment?
Yes, if the terms of the grant allow payment for access to equipment, services, reimbursement of consumables, operator support, or other expenses related to the research. The application should preferably indicate the name of the grant, source of funding, availability of the relevant budget, and the type of expenses that may be covered by grant funds.
I represent a business, start-up, or industrial sector organization and would like to carry out an R&D project involving the research infrastructure and expertise of the Institute. What should I do?
You should submit an application or contact the Center by email with a brief description of the task, expected result, type of samples, preferred research methods, expected timeline, and possible format of cooperation. Such projects may be considered as contract-based work, joint scientific, scientific-technical, or innovation projects, paid services, or other forms of cooperation in accordance with Ukrainian legislation and the internal procedures of the Institute.
Can I submit an application if I do not know which specific instrument is needed for my research?
Yes. In this case, the application should describe the scientific or applied task, type of samples, expected result, and desired timeline. After review of the application, representatives of the Center may suggest a possible method, instrument, or format of work, provided that it falls within the expertise of the Institute and the technical capabilities of the Center.
Does the applicant need to provide consumables?
This depends on the type of work, equipment, and access conditions. Consumables may be provided by the user, reimbursed by the user at actual cost, included in the cost estimate or tariff of the service, or agreed separately before the work begins.
Is independent use of equipment possible?
Independent work on an instrument is possible only after access has been approved, the user has completed the required instruction, and, where necessary, knowledge of the rules for working with the specific equipment has been assessed. For complex instruments or work requiring special training, operator support may be mandatory.
Can the Center refuse access or performance of work?
Yes. Access may be refused if the application contains incomplete or inaccurate information, samples do not meet safety requirements, there is no technical possibility to perform the work, the equipment is unavailable during the requested period, the user has not completed the required instruction, or the work would contradict Ukrainian legislation, contractual obligations, international obligations of Ukraine, or the Regulations on Access.
Should the Center be acknowledged in publications or reports?
Unless otherwise provided by an agreement, grant agreement, or other approved conditions under which the work was performed, publications, reports, presentations, and other materials should acknowledge that the relevant work was performed using the equipment and/or infrastructure of the Center for Collective Use of Scientific Instruments of IMBG NAS of Ukraine.
Center for Collective Use of Scientific Instruments of NAS of Ukraine (established from 2004).