RARAF – Information for New Users

INTRODUCTION

Columbia University’s Radiological Research Accelerator Facility (RARAF) is a Biomedical Technology Resource Center, funded by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and BioEngineering, and designed to serve the needs of a large broadly-based community of users who wish to use microbeam irradiation capabilities. We welcome outside users to our facility to make use of our unique single-cell/single-particle microbeam irradiators and the associated imaging capabilities.

There are two ways in which outside users can use the RARAF facilities: through service-based experiments or through a collaborative interaction. As described in more detail below, service is generally characterized by a routine operation of our current technologies, in which we provide support but not necessarily significant intellectual input. By contrast, a collaborative interaction involves the development of new technologies for microbeam studies, and typically involves close collaboration with RARAF staff. We welcome both types of interactions.

To maintain high scientific standards, all experiment applications are evaluated by RARAF staff and, in the case of collaborative studies, by the RARAF External Advisory Committee. All prospective users must abide by our collaboration and service policy described below.

COLLABORATIVE vs. SERVICE-BASED INTERACTIONS

RARAF holds to strict guidelines that differentiate collaboration from a service, and a distinction between the two must be made during the application process for each experiment. Prospective users can and should consult with RARAF staff and follow the guidelines below to differentiate between collaboration and service-based projects, which have different application forms and approval processes.

SERVICE-BASED EXPERIMENTS

A significant proportion of user-initiated experiments at RARAF are service oriented. Service is generally characterized by a routine operation of our current technologies, in which we provide support, but not necessarily significant intellectual input. For such studies, users can choose to come to RARAF for their experiment, or samples can be sent to us for irradiation, and we will irradiate and return the samples. When needed, RARAF staff will provide appropriate training. RARAF guidelines defining a service-based experiment are:

1. The experiment is fully designed by the user with minimal input from RARAF staff;
2. The experiment uses existing facilities and requires at most minor modifications;
3. RARAF is acknowledged in all resulting publications but RARAF personnel are not necessarily co-authors;
4. A fee will normally be charged on a per-hour or per-day basis.

Resources Currently Available for Service-Based Experiments

• Charged particle microbeam
  • 70-120 keV/µm α particles; 8-25 keV/µm protons
  • 0.6 µm diameter focused beam spot
  • 10,000 cells/hour throughput
• X-ray microbeam
  • 4.5 keV monochromatic X-rays
  • 2 µm diameter focused beam spot
• Broad-beam irradiations
  • Track Segment: 70-180 keV/µm α particles; 9-40 keV/µm protons, 20-55 keV/µm deuterons
  • Neutron irradiation facility: 220 keV - 15 MeV
  • X-Ray irradiation facility (250 kVp)
• Advanced imaging capabilities
  • Multi-color fluorescence microscopy
  • Multiphoton microscopy; integrated into microbeam endstation
  • Immersion Mirau Interferometry, for no-UV / no-stain imaging
• Sample preparation
  • Fully-equipped, user-friendly biology laboratories adjacent to irradiation areas
  • Single-cell samples: mono-layers plated on a thin substrate or in flasks
  • Bulk samples: facilities for handling tissues, nematodes and fish embryos
• Dosimetry – available for all irradiation modes

Application Process for Service-Based Beam Time

RARAF invite prospective service-based users to submit proposed experiments. We ask that prospective users discuss the proposed experiment with the RARAF manager, Mr. Stephen Marino, at (914)591-9244 or at sm14@columbia.edu. All applicants for service-based beam time should fill out a Service Experiment Request Form, which is available online: Service Request Form. Service-based applications are promptly evaluated, generally by the RARAF staff. When approved, beam time will be conveniently scheduled on a month-to-month basis. 

COLLABORATIVELY-BASED RESEARCH

In short, collaborative projects involve scientists from RARAF working closely with external investigators who have expertise in other disciplines that can potentially benefit from microbeam technology. Our collaborative projects have typically been the motivators for extensions to our current resources, and we welcome such collaborations. Such collaborations typically drive our technological R&D, and likewise the technology should significantly advance the scientific frontiers of the collaborative research. RARAF guidelines defining a collaborative project are:

1. Interactions that strongly synergize with the existing core research programs or generate new ones that significantly enhance the capabilities of RARAF;
2. Collaborative efforts will typically result in a major upgrade to RARAF facilities and will subsequently be provided to service-based users;
3. One or more RARAF personnel are closely involved in the project design from start to finish and will be co-authors on joint publications and co-investigators in grant applications;
4. No fee will normally be charged for beam time, but the collaborator may be expected to provide support for extra equipment required for the work.

Initiating Collaborative-Based Research

Collaboration requests should be initiated through direct discussions between the principle investigators. Appropriate contacts are David Brenner, RARAF Director (212-305-5660, djb3@columbia.edu), or Gerhard Randers-Pehrson, RARAF chief physicist (914-591-9244, gr6@columbia.edu), though initial contact with any member of the RARAF team is welcome. After discussions, we will ask you to document your request, which will be reviewed by the RARAF staff, and also by the RARAF External Advisory Committee.

Resources for Collaborative-Based Research

The microbeam resources available at RARAF are described above. For collaborative research, we emphasize that our microbeams and related imaging technologies are constantly being upgraded, and these developmental facilities are often appropriate for collaborative research. A few examples of our developmental facilities are our ultra high-LET charged-particle microbeam, our neutron microbeam development, and our EMCCD camera ultra-low light imaging development. In addition, we are always very receptive to suggestions for new microbeam technology / imaging developments for innovative biological experiments.