Essential Reading
Contents |
[edit] Before You Come:
[edit] Requesting Beamtime
There are a number of ways to request time on the BCSB beamlines, depending on your research needs:
General User Program: We invite qualified scientists to apply for beam time on the BCSB beamlines through the Protein Crystallography Rapid Access Program, administered by the ALS. Interested researchers can submit a proposal which will be reviewed and ranked by the ALS Biosciences Review Panel. These rankings form the basis for allocating General User beamtime every two months. For further details on the proposal application and review process, please see Apply for Time.
Sector 5: Participating Research Teams: If you would like regularly scheduled beamtime and if you are interested in becoming a Participating Research Team (PRT) in the BCSB, Apply for Time contains a more detailed description of PRT membership.
Sector 8: Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Investigators: HHMI Investigators are invited to use the beamlines on Sector 8. Please see Apply for Time for a description of the guidelines and how to request beamtime.
[edit] Experiment Safety Sheet
Fill out an ESS sheet before you arrive.
Experimental Safety Sheet (online form through the ALS)
[edit] ALS User Agreements
In accordance with DOE policy, the ALS requires that Proprietary and Non-Proprietary user agreements be in place prior to beamline use. Advanced funding for proprietary shifts must be received by the lab at least five business days in advance of beamtime. When requesting beamtime, scientists will declare whether the shifts will be used for proprietary or non-proprietary research.
Proprietary Research: The Government and the University have no rights to the data generated by the user during proprietary research. See Proprietary Research for a more detailed definition. Users performing proprietary research will be charged a fee based on cost recovery for ALS usage. In return, the user may choose to take title to any inventions made during the proprietary research program and treat as proprietary all technical data generated during the beamtime. See Proprietary Research at BCSB Beamlines for further information.
Non-Proprietary Research: For research to be considered non-proprietary, the research results are intended for publication in scientific journals. The ALS does not charge users for beamtime if their research is non-proprietary. For further information, see Non-Proprietary Research at BCSB Beamlines.
[edit] Sample/Dewar Shipping
Dewars are received at the Lab Monday through Friday, and we ship dewars out Monday through Thursday. When sending your dewars, please allow adequate shipping time so that your crystals will arrive at the lab at least one day prior to your scheduled beamtime. Berkeley Lab’s contracted shipper is FedEx, and our systems have been streamlined to dovetail closely with FedEx. Dewars shipped by other vendors may occasionally experience a short delay.
Please let a staff person know that you are sending your dewars; e-mail the shipper and tracking number to BCSBBeamtime@lbl.gov. We will pick up your dewars at the Lab receiving dock and bring them to the beamlines.
We are happy to assist with shipping your dewars back to your lab. For a more detailed description of dewar processing, see Shipping, in FAQS. Please be sure to supply a FedEx account number and a shipping address, as well as a telephone number and e-mail in the event we need to contact you. When you have concluded your work at the beamlines, clearly label your shipping preferences using the tagging system on your dewar:
- Dry Ship, shipping date (pink form)
- Wet Ship, shipping date (purple form)
Please note that wet dewars are more costly to ship. Note also that wet dewars require the preparation of hazardous materials documents, which may extend the handling time prior to shipping.
For sector 5, address the dewar to:
Gary Giangrasso/Stacey Ortega BL (insert beamline number here)
Lawrence Berkeley National Labs
1 Cyclotron Rd.; MS 6R2100
Berkeley, CA 94720
(510) 495-2450
For 8.2.1 and 8.2.2, address the dewar to:
Gary Giangrasso/Stacey Ortega BL (insert beamline number here)
Lawrence Berkeley National Labs
1 Cyclotron Rd.; MS 6R2100
Berkeley, CA 94720
(510) 495-2450
[edit] While At The ALS:
[edit] Gate Access, Badges, and Security
Two weeks before your scheduled beamtime, you will receive an e-mail from BCSB Administration to coordinate your visit. You will be asked to provide an exact list of your researchers, for whom we will check Lab ID status and if necessary, arrange gate access. If your badge has expired or if you are a new user, please see Information for Users.
Due to heightened security measures, please note that only visitors with valid Lab IDs or pre-arranged gate permits will be allowed to enter the National Lab.
[edit] Parking
A limited amount of parking in the vicinity of the ALS can be reserved during your beamtime shifts. Please send your parking request to BCSBBeamtime@lbl.gov, and we will reserve a parking space for you, if available. Lab parking restrictions are in force during business hours, so parking reservations are not needed after hours or on weekends.
Note that parking reservations are not provided for Lab employees, or UCB staff, employees, or students.
Student Parking – According to Lab policy, students are not eligible for parking privileges; consequently, students who are driving will be turned away at the front gate. However, it is possible to request an exception for non-local students. If you would like to request an exception, please contact BCSBBeamtime@lbl.gov.
[edit] Required Training
Prior to using the beamlines, researchers must complete safety training (administered by the ALS), and beamline and automounter training (administered by BCSB Beamline support).
ALS Training: Be sure to allow enough time for training and badging (~30 to 45 minutes) prior to the start of your scheduled beamtime. The following safety forms and training must be completed before an ID Proximity Access Card, required for access to the ALS experiment floor and storage areas, is issued:
- View the safety video, "Photons to Users: Safety at the Advanced Light Source" (15 min).
- Read and/or sign:
- ALS Procedure HP 02-01: Access to the ALS (Building 6)
- ALS Radiation Awareness Training Form
- Berkeley Lab General Employee Radiation Training (GERT)
- Integrated Safety Management (ISM)
- ISM-LBNL Environment, Health & Safety Work Agreement
- Training Documentation Sheet/Enrollment List Form
- At the beamline, you will also be required to read and sign the Yellow Safety Sheet (hutch training) and the LN safety sheet.
A one minute LN safety video can be found here: HERE
A summary of requirements for using LN are below:
| Closed-toe shoes | Safety Glasses | Face shield | Cryogenic Gloves | Cotton liner w/ nitrile glove | Long pants or apron | Insulated tool handles | |
| Fill dewar with open flow delivery line | X | X | X | X | X | ||
| Dewar to dewar transfer | X | X | X | X | |||
| Removing/storing items in dewars | X | X | X | X | |||
| Transporting open dewars holding less than 0.5 L | X | X | X | ||||
| Manipulating protein crystals in dewars | X | X | X | ||||
| Transporting dewars or tanks with lids or closed valves | X | ||||||
| Disposing of LN by evaporation | X | ||||||
| Disposing of LN by recyling through filter | X | X | X |
Users will not be allowed access to the ALS floor until they have received the required training. Additional information can be found by clicking on ALS Safety Training.
BCSB Beamline and Automounter Training: All BCSB users must receive beamline training at the beginning of their scheduled beamtime (approximately 15-30 minutes). If any of the members of your group are unable to attend this training, please contact BCSBBeamtime@lbl.gov to arrange an alternative.
[edit] Automounters
Automounters are available on all the BCSB beamlines. There are special requirements for pins, bases and pucks if you are using any of the automounters. Please see the Automounter page for details.
[edit] Data Collection
We can accommodate different types of media on the various beamlines. Please consult the BCSB Beamline Features for further information about compatible media devices on the beamline that you will be visiting.
[edit] Other Useful Information
[edit] Maps and Directions
For maps, directions, and public transportation routes to the Lab and the ALS, please consult the Lab’s Directions webpage.
[edit] Accommodations
Visiting researchers seeking short-term lodging can reserve rooms in the ALS Apartments, conveniently located five blocks downhill from the Lab’s Blackberry Gate. For further information on the apartments, check out the ALS Housing webpage, or contact the ALS Housing Coordinator by email at alsrooms@lbl.gov, or by phone at 510-486-7666..
Other local accommodations can be found on the Lab's Accommodations webpage.
[edit] Comestibles
Hungry? Consult the Lab’s Restaurant link, which lists local purveyors of food, complete with a thumbnail description and location maps.