Frequently Asked Questions

Please reach us at if you cannot find an answer to your question.

Who can use the Micron Bioimaging facility?

The facility is open to the internal and external research community. Access is straightforward for researchers from the Biochemistry Department and relatively easy to arrange for those in other Oxford departments. Please contact the us via micron@bioch.ox.ac.uk to enquire about registering as a user.

What are the charges for using the systems?

The microscope systems are charged on an hourly flat rate. The flat rate covers access to all microscopes and aims to ensure the facility is financially sustainable. Please contact the facility for more details on our rates.

What does this charge pay for?

Our access rates contribute towards the costs directly associated with running these complex instruments, which includes maintenance, usage time, software licenses, consumables, staff costs and space related costs. The rate does not include capital replacement or depreciation costs. Our prices are reviewed on 1st April each year and implemented at the start of each new financial year on 1st August.

Can you provide costings for grant applications?

All researchers should consider their facility usage requirements prior to costing grant applications and ensure that the costs are approved by the facility director and manager prior to application submission. The facility manager will work with you to determine a projects requirements and costs. A quotation will be provided for inclusion in your application. Researchers that envisage very heavy usage of our equipment are invited to discuss your requirements with the facility team.

Which microscope is best for my experiment?

We are always happy to advise users on which system is most suitable for their experiments. We can also help you with setting up the instrument so you can achieve the highest quality data. Email us at micron@bioch.ox.ac.uk for more info.

What is the best way to store my large imaging data set?

As a Micron user you will be assigned storage space on one of our backed-up servers. We also recommend using the image management software OMERO.

Wait, what's OMERO?

OMERO is an open-source, free to use software for cataloguing, organising, sharing and analysing imaging datasets. It is able to handle most image file formats and includes in-browser software for creating figures from your images. For more information on OMERO please contact micron@bioch.ox.ac.uk an answer to this item.