Biophysics access, booking and costing

Access

We are a fully open-access facility, staffed by academics and technicians, with users from many Cambridge university departments, external academic institutions and industry. While the majority of users come to run experiments in person, we also offer a 'service mode', staff and instrument availability permitting.

All initial and general enquiries should be addressed to biophysics@bioc.cam.ac.uk.

Initial contact will usually be followed by a meeting with an appropriate staff member to discuss the experimental approach, sample requirements, and whether training or supervision is needed. Facility staff can offer advice and troubleshooting as required. We can arrange for frequent visitors who are holders of Cambridge University cards to have them programmed for entry.

Booking

Once access is approved, University of Cambridge members (i.e. internal users) may book using our online booking system (Raven credentials required, plus some users may need to visit https://preferences.g.apps.cam.ac.uk/ to edit their permissions). Please ensure you confirm staff availability if you will require support. Users are strongly encouraged to prepare samples well in advance of the booking to keep late starts and last-minute cancellations to a minimum (we reserve the right to charge for pre-booked time that is unused or cancelled at short notice).

External academic/industrial users and all service-mode users must book through a facility staff member, or by emailing biophysics@bioc.cam.ac.uk.

Costs

External academic/industrial and service-mode users must obtain a custom quote by emailing biophysics@bioc.cam.ac.uk and from this, raise a purchase order, and send it to us in PDF form.

Charges for experiments run in person by University of Cambridge members (i.e. internal users) are as follows (from September 1, 2022):

  • Biacore T200, £200/day
  • iTC200, £150/day
  • VP-ITC, £70/day
  • Octet Red96, £150/day
  • AUC, £150/day
  • SEC-MALS, £150/day
  • CD, £150/day inclusive of N2(g) used
  • CFX, £120/day or £30 for 2h
  • SX19, £120/day
  • DLS, £200/day or £50 for 2h*
  • C-Trap, £250/day
  • RefeynTwoMP, £160/day
  • *DLS Advance Ultra, £300/day or £75 for 2h (affiliated instrument, contact facility staff to access)

Half days are available on all instruments with the exception of the C-Trap, Biacore T200 and the AUC. Half days are defined as no more than four hours, must include all cleaning steps, and must finish before or start after 13.00 to ensure fair and efficient usage.

Biochemistry users must supply a grant code. Payment from non-Biochemistry departments is by purchase order. Rates will be reviewed regularly so that we can continue to recover all our costs.

Consumables

The facility is well stocked with tubes, tips, plates, cuvettes, gloves etc and certain specific consumables are also provided free of charge (e.g. common regeneration and cleaning solutions). Reagents for amide coupling (EDC/NHS) can also be purchased in single-use frozen aliquots at cost (free for Biacore users). The facility stocks a range of Octet biosensors that can be purchased individually at cost. However, users must supply or bring their own buffers, Biacore sensor chips and any specialised reagents. Please check with us if you are unsure what to bring.

When you visit

The Biophysics Facility is located in level 3 of the Sanger Building. Access is via the reception desk:

Directions for parking in a pre-booked space: