Policies

All ACC Users must follow these instrument access policies. Failure to do so may result in termination of access privileges.

Acknowledgments

In an effort to justify past and future financial support, it's essential for us to demonstrate that the ACC is productively advancing research in the community. The best way to do this is to document publications that use ACC resources.
- Please add your publications in PPMS or send to analyticalchemistry@hms.harvard.edu
- If you use any ACC resources, please acknowledge the "Analytical Chemistry Core at Harvard Medical School" in publications of your work.
- If an ACC staff member has made an important intellectual contribution to the project, as determined by generally accepted criteria for academic collaborations, then they should be considered for authorship on the publication.

NEVER allow another person to use your HMS ID and password or HUID to access any ACC instrument or the lab. This rule is inviolable.
Active ACC users will have swipe access to the room via their HUID.
Active ACC users will have access to PPMS booking calendars and instruments on which they have been trained by ACC staff.

All users must sign-up to use instruments in advance, using the online scheduling software, PPMS.
Reservations must be cancelled 24 hours before the scheduled start time to avoid booking fees. Please, make cancellations as early as possible to allow others access to the instrument.
Each instrument will have limits on the number of hours for which any user or user group may sign-up in advance. However, any authorized user may sign-up for an instrument in the 24-hour period before start time. Users may request extra time in excess of the reservation limit from the ACC director (analyticalchemistry@hms.harvard.edu).
The booking software will allow you to request notification of cancellations on an instrument you are waiting to use.
If you do not use an instrument for a period of 12 months, your access to the instrument may be suspended. Please contact analyticalchemistry@hms.harvard.edu to regain access.

HMS lab safety guidelines must be always followed. Review ACC Lab Safety guidelines before beginning work.
Take all necessary precautions to protect the equipment and yourself as you use the instrument.
Wear appropriate PPE during all experiments.
Neither food nor beverages are allowed in the lab at any time.
Follow ACC instrument guidelines for each instrument you use.
Do not use an instrument if you are not sure that you can do so safely and correctly. If necessary, you may request additional training.
In addition to the electronic log, some instruments have paper log sheets to share instrument status between users, which you should use when present.
Leave instruments and surrounding area cleaner than you found them.
If you have a problem with an instrument, you must report it immediately to ACC staff by using the "Report a Problem" link on the PPMS website, by sending an email to analyticalchemistry@hms.harvard.edu, or in person.
Users may leave instruments unattended during automated acquisition for short periods of time, as long as clear contact instructions are left with the instrument (name and cell phone number).

Users are responsible for backing up all data collected on the ACC instrument computers after each session.
Users may use the workstation to processing data if needed it. Follow the instructions to book your session in our ACC-Workstation.
The ACC is not responsible for lost data.
Hard drives on instrument control computers and the ACC workstation may need to be erased or replaced without warning.

All users will be billed for access to ACC instruments to cover maintenance and operating costs.
Rates are posted on the ACC webpage, and listed on the online booking form for each instrument.
Users will be billed the maximum of the time reserved or the actual time on the instrument. Logoff of the PPMS screen lock after your session or charges will continue to accrue.
Late arrivals are billed from the start of scheduled time.
Late cancellations (made less than 24-hours prior to start) are billed, unless another user books or uses the cancelled time.
Users who wish to extend their time may do so if no other user has signed up or if the next scheduled user gives express permission. During these times, the user logged in to PPMS will be charged for time on the instrument.