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Orientation Document

Meakins-Christie Laboratories Orientation Document: 
For all new and current staff and trainees (Updated: Sept 2021).
All new trainees and staff MUST meet with Séverine for a lab tour and orientation.

Table of Contents


The Meakins-Christie Laboratories house a wide variety of facilities and equipment. Most of the equipment within the RESP program is shared and can be used by all staff and students provided training requirements are met. Specific policies and restrictions may apply on some sensitive and valuable piece of equipment.

For all questions and issues regarding equipment, see Séverine Audusseau. Issues with equipment covered by the RI-MUHC can be directly addressed to Biomedical Engineering Team at ri.biomed@muhc.ca

DESCRIPTION/ROOM NUMBERLIST OF EQUIPMENTRESOURCE PERSON
Flow Cytometry Core
E03.2054
BD FACS Canto II, BD FACS Fortessa X-20, BD Accuri C6
TO READ Policies:
Flow Cytometry Policy
Victoria Zismanov
Irah King
Imaging Room
E03.4037
Olympus upright and inverted epifluorescence and Brightfield microscope (BX50, BX51, IX)
equipped with cameras and image acquisition software (ImagePro),
Zeiss AxioImager M2 scanning upright epifluorescent microscope,
Nikon multihead upright microscope
Séverine Audusseau
Dominique Mayaki
Laurent Huck
Culture Room
E03.4047
Biological Safety Cabinets (4), CO2 incubators (10),
Centrifuge, Water bath, Vortex,
Nikon inverted Fluorescent microscope,
Thermo and Shandon Cytocentrifuge (2),
Beckman Coulter Act Diff cell coulter
Séverine Audusseau
Victoria Zismanov
Andrea Mogas
Centrifuge Room
E03.2431
Several large capacity low speed floor centrifuge,
Beckman Coulter Medium and High speed floor Centrifuge,
Ice Machine, Perkin-Elmer  Beta Scintillation Counter,
Labconco Centrivap concentrator
Séverine Audusseau
Andrea Mogas
General Equipment Room
E03.4073
Tecan multimode plate plate reader, Biorad Digital Droplet PCR,
Biorad Chemidoc XP, Biorad 96-well PCR system C1000,
GE Cary Eclipse Fluorescent Spectrophotometer
Séverine Audusseau
Andrea Mogas
Autoclave & Dishwasher Room
E03.2074
Steris Glass washer, BMT Sterivap Autoclave,
Labconco Acid resistant Centrivap concentrator,
Labconco Freezer dryer, Oven, Microwave  

Standard Operational Procedures for Autoclaves
Séverine Audusseau
Freezers Rooms
E03.2138, E03.2140, E03.2144
-80°C freezers (22) including back-up freezers (2)
and -150°C freezer (1)
Séverine Audusseau
Cold Rooms
E03.2425 and E03.4435
Storage racks and tables, various rockers, tubes rotators Séverine Audusseau
EQUIPMENT & MODELEQUIPMENT AND DETAILSLOCATIONRESOURCE PERSON
Ventana
Discovery Ultra
Automated Immunostaining system
Applications: ICC, IFI, ISH, FISH
E03.4141 Andrea Mogas
Séverine Audusseau
Scireq Flexivent System Animal Lung Function Measurement Apparatus ARD S2Toby McGovern
Scireq InExpose System Small Animal Inhalation Exposure system ARD S2Hussein Traboulsi
Miltenyi Biotec Gentle
MACS Dissociator
Cell Dissociator / Homogenizer E03.2371 Erwan Pernet
Victoria Zismanov
ABI 7500 Fast
ABI 7500
ABI StepOne Plus
Biorad CFX96
Real-Time PCR machine
Real-Time PCR machine
Real-Time PCR machine
Real-Time PCR machine
E03.4135
E03.2144+E03.4361
E03.4150+E03.4134
E03.4150+E03.4134
Ekaterina Gusev
Andrea Mogas
Isabelle Angers
Dominique Mayaki
Véronique Gaudreault
Melissa Gaudet
Erwan Pernet
Minip 2500 PCR plate centrifuge E03.4134 Andrea Mogas
Zeiss LSM 700 Confocal Microscope E03.2158 Geoffrey McKay
Olympus IX-71 Live Cell Imaging system Inverted epi-fluorescent microscope
equipped with CO2 chamber and camera
E03.2158 Carolyne Baglole
Séverine Audusseau
Luminex Magpix Magnetic bead based analyser for multiplexing
quantitative and qualitative measurements
E03.4134 Andrea Mogas
GE Typhoon FLA 9500 Laser scanner, high resolution imaging of multifluorescent-,
chemifluorescent-, radioisotope-labeled, and colorimetric
samples on gels, blots…
E03.4073 Séverine Audusseau
Aplegen Omegalum C Gel Documentation system
Fluorescence and Chemiluminescence Imaging
E03.2144 Isabelle Angers
Agilent SeaHorse XFe96 Mitochondria Metabolism Measurement system
(OCR and ECAR of live cells in a 96-well plate format)
E03.4150 Séverine Audusseau
Leica CM1950 Cryostat (automated) E03.4125
Ekaterina Gusev
Séverine Audusseau
Microm HM505E Cryostat (manual) E03.4149 Séverine Audusseau
Leica  RM2235 Microtome (manual) E03.4142 Séverine Audusseau
Waters 2695 HPLC HPLC equipped with Fluorescent and UV detectors E03.4380 Séverine Audusseau

Team-Up calendars

Common equipment must be booked, using a web based electronic TeamUp calendar. To book for an equipment use, the following information is mandatory: user full name, PI and phone number (or email address). Non-authorized users reservations or booking with incomplete information will be cancelled.

⇒ Go to https://meakinsmcgill.com/info/ to get access to the TeamUp booking calendars

Equipment Logbook

For some equipment use (e.g. microscope, flow cytometer), a logbook must be filled by all users.

PLANON if a platform available through the RI-Portal or on your smartphone.

 Go to RI-Portal > Fast Track (on the right hand side App Menu) > PLANON

  • Planon keeps an inventory of all RI-MUHC equipment
  • Used for generating requests, maintenance and repairs of equipment and infrastructure

There are 2 types of requests:

Infrastructure Requests
e.g. for the RI-MUHC building, electricity, plumbing, space requests, dead battery on lab doors, etc…

Biomedical Requests
e.g. laboratory equipment; note, there are 2 types of equipment: LABORATORY owned equipment and COMMON RESP PROGRAM equipment

Who can do a request?

Lab Manager
Your lab manager can do an Infrastructure Request and a Biomedical Request ONLY IF the equipment is owned by your LAB (i.e. the equipment does not have an RI tag)

Meakins Lab Coordinator (Séverine)
For major infrastructure requests and all RI-MUHC COMMON equipment and all RESP SHARED equipment requests

What is the difference between RI-MUHC COMMON and RESP SHARED Equipment?

For quick troubleshooting, or with help to identify an equipment category, please contact Séverine.

RI-MUHC Common Equipment
All RI-MUHC equipment is identified with a tag (RI-####) and a QR code. RI-MUHC equipment is located in common equipment rooms, shared alcoves, or in lab modules.

RESP Program Shared Equipment
RESP shared equipment is owned by the Meakins-Christie Laboratories (e.g. Luminex, Countess, Cytation, qPCR, Chemidoc, Fortessa)). RESP shared equipment is defined as equipment regularly used by more than 5 groups.

How do I use the Planon app?

The Planon App can be accessed by the RI-Portal or be downloaded on your smartphone. On your smartphone, you can simply scan the room number or asset tag and submit and follow your requests from your smartphone.

Download the Planon (Business) application > log into Planon on the RI portal > add ticket after the .com/ in your internet browser > scan the QR code that will appear on your screen

RI-MUHC Technology Platforms

The RI-MUHC houses 9 technology platforms that provide state-of-the-art instruments, cutting-edge techniques and consultative services.

⇒ For general information, visit the http://rimuhc.ca/technology-platforms  or go to RI portal ˃ Resources > Technology Platforms

⇒ For Technology Platform Service interface, go to RI portal ˃ iLab

The Animal Resources Division provides professional and technical support to investigators, staff and students. The facilities are fully compliant with the recommendations established by the Canadian Council on Animal Care and the Facility Animal Care Committee. Before starting any research work involving animals, staff and students are required to undergo the following training steps:

  1. Online Theoritical Course
  2. Biomethodology Workshops
  3. Vivarium Orientation Session

⇒ For general Information, go to RI portal ˃ Research >

⇒ For Animal Care Division Service interface, go to RI portal ˃ Research > Darwin

⇒ Consult RI portal ˃ Resources > Health and Safety

Contact your Lab coordinator Séverine Audusseau or the RI-MUHC Health&Safety division

  https://www.mcgill.ca/ehs/files/ehs/biosafety_manual_ehs-sman-001_v1.pdf

⇒  https://www.mcgill.ca/ehs/laboratory/lab-safety-manual

MANDATORY TRAINING COURSES FOR ALL LABORATORY PERSONAL AND STUDENTS
Introduction to Emergency Measures*
Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)
Biosafety Principles
Hazardous Waste Disposal*

*The information dispensed in this course is site dependent and must be taken at the Glen.

Other safety training might be required depending of the type of laboratory work you are conducting

  • Biological Safety Cabinets Training
  • Radiation Safety Training
  • Laser Safety Training

At the RI-MUHC:

⇒ Go to RI portal ˃ Resources > Health and Safety > Safety Training
⇒ Select the safety training and click on REGISTER HERE

At McGill University

(free for all McGill staff and students), go to:
⇒ https://www.mcgill.ca/ehs/training

For all emergencies call extension 55555

For technical services ext. 76000 or pager 24/7 at 514-406-2398

For housekeeping ext. 23456

Ri-MUHC emergency codes - Health and safety

All accidents, dangerous incidents and occupational diseases, however minor, must be reported immediately to your supervisor and the laboratory coordinator, Séverine Audusseau.

The supervisor or his/her delegate must complete the RI-MUHC Incident and Accident report form

⇒ Go to RI portal ˃ Resources ˃ Health & Safety ˃ Forms ˃ Incident_accident_report,_vE_2010[1].pdf

Lab attire and Personal Protective Equipment:  

When working in a laboratory, remember to wear appropriate attire and the necessary personal protective equipment. Whenever present in the lab, everyone must wear a closed lab coat, closed shoes, has tighten long hair and wear Personal Protective Equipment when required (gloves, safety glasses, respirator mask, ear plugs, face shield…)

Lab coats are available at the entrance of the section E03.2000. Ask your lab manager for the other safety supplies.

Keep in mind that you must ensure proper skin coverage at all times: short pants, short skirts, capri pants and open shoes or sandals are not allowed in the laboratories.

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
PPE are restricted to laboratories: do not wear lab coat and gloves outside of the laboratories. Do not wear gloves on entrance door handles, computer keyboard, computer mouse, elevator buttons…

Food, drinks and personal effects are not allowed in any of the laboratories areas (including desk spaces). A large cabinet dedicated to short term storage of bottles and cups is available in the hallway, in front of the elevator.

Personal effects such as jackets and bags can not be kept in the lab. Use the lockers and the student rooms to keep your personal effect. If used in the lab, a personal laptop must be used on a desk space and never on a lab working counter.

Chemical waste disposal

Empty plastic waste containers are provided by Environmental Health and Safety during the chemical waste disposal Chemical waste disposal occurs every Wednesday at 14:00 in room ES2.0405. An appointment must be made by email to ri.ehs@much.mcgill.ca at the latest on the Tuesday before the disposal date. If there is no appointment request, the chemical waste disposal for that week is cancelled.

? For any questions regarding waste disposal or waste segregation, please contact Mihaela Cucu at mihaela.cucu @ muhc.mcgill.ca

RULES FOR LABELLING AND PACKAGING CHEMICAL WASTE

  • Identify each waste container clearly with below information: Principal investigator(s) name, each component name as it appears on the Safety Data Sheet, concentration or percentage
    No abbreviations. No chemical formula. Do not use bags with a Biohazard symbol for chemical waste disposal.
  • Package waste safely for transportation (use leak-proof plastic bag inside a cardboard box, as needed). Waste containers will be returned to laboratory if they are unlabeled, damaged, leaking, etc.

Radioactive Waste Disposal

? For any questions regarding radioactive waste disposal contact Mohammed Lounis at mohammed.lounis @ muhc.mcgill.ca or Malika Messaouli at malika.messaouli @ muhc.mcgill.ca

Biohazard Waste Disposal

QUICK GUIDE – BIOHAZARD WASTE MANAGEMENT

Solid Non-Sharp Biohazard Waste

  • must be discarded in biohazard grey containers (with yellow bag)
  • Biohazard grey bins are strictly dedicated for solid biohazardous material disposal. Non contaminated paper and plastic wrapping, tubes and boxes must not be discarded in these bins, but in regular garbage.
  • All flasks, dishes and plates must be emptied prior being discarded into the grey garbage bin.
  • When ¾ full, the biohazard grey container must be changed by the users, by tying a knot to the bag, closing the lid and moving the closed box to the corridor.
  • New grey bins are always available at the entrance of the main the corridors; if not, contact Séverine Audusseau or the logistic division of the RI-MUHC at ext. 37470.

Sharps Biohazard Waste

  • must go to red sharps plastic containers.
  • Sharp container are strictly dedicated to sharp biohazard material disposal.
  • When full the sharp container must be closed and deposited into a grey biohazard container. Do not leave sharp containers for disposal in the corridors.
  • The sharp containers are provided only for users of the common cell culture. You can find some under the table, if boxes are missing, there is a stock in room E03.2074.

Biohazard Liquid Waste

  • Most of common biohazard liquid waste generated in cell culture work such as blood, liquid culture medium and serum
  • Aspirate the liquid out of the culture vessels or the tubes or add bleach directly onto the liquids. Use not less than 1% bleach and allow at least 30min contact. Note that commercial bleach is usually 4 to 12% solution.
  • Discard in the sink. Rinse the sink by running tap water.
  • Bleach is provided only for users of the cell culture room and flow cytometry platform: you can find some in the cabinets.

Please check the following three sources of information. If you are unable to find the answer you are looking for, please see the Meakins administrative staff during their office hours.

  1. The RI-MUHC portal at http://researchportal.muhc.mcgill.ca/
  2. The Trainee Handbook available on the portal under Resources ˃ Desjardins Centre for Advanced Training
  3. The Meakins-Christie Laboratories website at https://meakinsmcgill.com/

Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
1:30-3:30PM

For urgent matters outside these office hours, please contact Jacqueline, Maria or Linda by email and they will respond to you immediately. For McGill related questions, please see Maria or Jacqueline. For RI-MUHC related questions, please see Linda.
Severine:  For any questions about laboratory equipment, techniques or any emergencies
Inga: For any questions on the RESP program, funding, scholarships and seminars

  1. Please see Maria, Linda and Jacqueline on EM3.2219 or ext 76172 to receive all appropriate paperwork
  2. Make sure all your contact information entered into our DATABASE is accurate (email, supervisor, degree)
  3. Go see Séverine Audusseau on EM2.2221 or ext. 76335 for a tour of the labs and to receive information about all laboratory equipment and procedures

On the RI Portal, go to HR Center ˃ General Information ˃ ID Cards

? Any issue with ID access card can be addressed to ri.ts@muhc.mcgill.ca

? Resource Persons: Linda (for RI-MUHC paid personnel), Maria (for McGill paid personnel)

⇒ Go to RI portal ˃ Click on Request a Login

Your supervisor has to authorize your request. If your supervisor is unavailable, specify who can authorize your request in the “Comments” section (i.e lab manager, administrative assistant, program manager). Remember to include the contact info (email/extension) for this person.

Resource Persons: PI, supervisor, lab manager, Administrative Assistants (Linda, Maria)

RI-MUHC connected computers are available in lab modules and in meeting rooms. The computers are accessed with a RI-MUHC domain username and password. All-in-one Printer/Fax/Scanner/Photocopier machines are available in room EM2.2205 and EM3.2205 and linked to your RI-MUHC domain account. To get access to these services, you must have access to the RI portal and place an IT rescue:

⇒ Go to RI portal ˃ IT Rescue ˃ Click on Create New Request

  • In the request, include the following: “I am a new student/staff in XX’s lab. I would like to be assigned a RI-MUHC domain username and password to access the RI-MUHC computers.” You will be assigned a username. The default password is Passw0rd. You will be prompted to change this password the first time you try to log into a RI-MUHC computer. Your password will expire every 4 months and will have to be reset.
  • If you would like to access the common fax/photocopier, select “to access multifunctional printer/scanner/fax machine”. Include the following in the comments section: “I would like to have access to the EM2.2205/EM3.2205 photocopier. The 5 digits on the back of my ID card are XXXXX.” IT will need the 5 numbers on the back of your card that appear after the * as well as your PI’s cost center as this is the account where your copies are charged.
  • Once access is granted, you will have to install the printer drive on your computer. Click on RUN at the bottom left on your computer screen. Type \\172.17.248.10. Open the printer network and double click the correct room and install the printer drive.
  • You can also request to have the EM2 or EM3 printer drivers installed on the lab computers. Place an IT rescue as above and IT will send you the instructions.

Resource Persons: Your PI is the Approver of your IT request. If your PI is unavailable, the approver may be the lab manager or the administrative assistants. Include their contact information in the “comments” section of the IT rescue if needed.

Any issue with computer or printer access can be addressed to ri.it@muhc.mcgill.ca or by placing a new IT rescue

Each lab is responsible for ordering paper for their own printers or lab printer.

Each laboratory is assigned a fixed amount of space on the RI-MUHC server. This includes a secured lab folder as well as a secured folder for each PI. The available space is 100G for group, unless otherwise requested by the PI. The server is intended to be used by CURRENT trainees and staff to save data from ongoing research projects. Old data from past students must be removed and backed up on an external hard drive. Data is backed up daily.

Go to RI portal ˃ IT Rescue ˃ Click on Create New Request

  • You must be assigned a RI-MUHC domain username and password to access the Meakins server. If you do not have this, follow the steps described above.
  • In the IT rescue, include the following: “I am XX from XX’s lab. My RI-MUHC domain username is XX. I would like to have access to the secure LAB folder for my lab on the RESP server.”

? Resource Persons: Your PI is the Approver of your IT request. If your PI is unavailable, the approver may be the lab manager. Include their contact information in the “comments” section of the IT rescue if needed. Please see Inga Murawski if you have any questions about the server.

  • Once you are assigned a RI-MUHC domain username and password, the Meakins server must be mapped under your profile. Log into the RI-MUHC computer > Right click on This PC/My Computer > Map Network Drive > Type \\rimuhc.local\fileshare\resp > Input your RI-MUHC domain username as rimuhc\UN and your PW

If you have requested access to the Meakins server and are having trouble connecting, please see Inga Murawski

RI McGill Wi-Fi Network

Network name: CUSM-MUHC.MCGILL.CA
Username: your McGill e-mail and password

Public Wi-Fi Network    

Network name: CUSM-MUHC-PUBLIC
Username: public
Password: wifi

Trainees

To be assigned a desk in the student room (EM2.2510 or EM3.2510), the trainees must see Jacqueline Brown (EM3.2219). A 20$ deposit is required, which will be refunded upon key return. Undergraduate students, visiting fellows, volunteers and summer students are not eligible to be assigned a desk; however, they can use the common tables available in the student room.

All students have access to the blue lockers in the student room. They must provide their own padlock and write their name and PI on the locker door. They may be asked to share a locker if needed.

Employees

Laboratory employees are not eligible for a desk in the student room or an office, but are assigned workspace in the laboratory modules. All RI-MUHC employees have access to share a locker on ES1.

Go to RI portal ˃ HR Centre > HR Forms > Locker Request form (under Other Forms)

For RI-MUHC conference rooms: Go to RI portal ˃ Room Reservations ˃ Room reservation software

For MUHC conference rooms: Go to ORBS McGill to book the room http://orbs.muhc.mcgill.ca/

⇒ The McConnell Resource Centre (BRC.0078) is a quiet environment if you are looking for a place to study or write.

Remember to cancel all bookings that you will not use. Conference room space is limited and you are required to liberate the room if you do not plan on using it. The CONFERENCE ROOMS ARE NOT TO BE USED AS STUDY ROOMS NOR FOR THESIS WRITING. If you are found to be using a conference room for this purpose, you may be asked to leave. Admin staff are not responsible for student and staff room bookings. All booking must be managed through the RI portal.

  • Internal: Dial the 5 digit extension of the person you wish to reach
  • Local: Dial 9 + area code + number
  • Long Distance: Dial 79 +1 + area code + # > after the tone, dial your 6 digit long distance code
  • Faxing:  local fax dial (area code + fax number) Long distance fax (US) dial (1+area code + fax number +***+ long distance code)  Oversees dial (011 + country code + fax number + ***+ long distance code) Our fax number is:  514-933-3962 located on EM3.

⇒ If you do not have a long distance code, go to RI portal ˃ IT Rescue and place a request providing a cost center for the phone call charges. The request must be approved by your PI.

  • Our mail drop point is EM3.2219 (by our middle admin desk on EM3). Outgoing mail may be placed in the basket at this location.
  • Mail boxes for incoming mail are located by the EM3 student room.

? Resource Person: Meakins Administrative Staff (Maria, Linda, Jacqueline)

All employees must report their time via the LOGIBEC application in order to be paid. Employee timesheets are approved by Time Reporters who then submit the timesheets for payroll processing. The Meakins time reporter is Linda Karpowicz. New RI MUHC Employees:  Your Logibec username and password AND your RI Portal username and password will be emailed to you 2 weeks after your HR Orientation Session.  The first pay period will be approved by your time-reporter.

⇒ To find the location of all available Logibec workstations. Log into the RI portal > HR Centre > Payroll

Please log onto the Logibec workstations using these credentials: User name: riglen Password: riglen

? For any questions regarding these workstations please contact: ri.it@muhc.mcgill.ca

Details of how payroll works, how to complete a timesheet as well as contact information can be found on RI-MUHC Portal . Go to the “Fast Track” section on the Home Page and click on the Logibec eEspresso link.

A variety of events are hosted and organized by the Meakins Christie Laboratories throughout the year, including  weekly research seminars, meetings and workshops, weekly work-in-progress, a monthly Journal Club with RECRU and clinical fellows and trainees, an Annual Research Day, RECRU Seminars, and Annual Memorial Lectures including the Macklem Lecture, Christie Lecture, and Seymour Heisler Lecture.

Go to https://meakinsmcgill.com/ > Events to see all our activities and events

Meakins-Christie Laboratories Logo

Meakins-Christie Logo

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