Facilities Updates

MRL Facilities Cryo-EM Lab and BioMaker Lab now open:

Our Cryo-EM laboratory, including the ThermoFisher Glacios cryo-TEM system and related sample preparation equipment for single particle analysis, tomography, and micro electron diffraction (microED) is now open and available to our users. Please check the Cryo-EM Lab web page for details and staff contact.

Our MRL Carver BioMaker laboratory is now operational with a variety of equipment for biological and soft materials sample preparation and analysis, including incubators, ultracentrifuges, optical and confocal laser microscopy, 3D bioprinter, electrospinning, etc., is now open and available to the research community. Please see the MRL Carver MRL BioMaker Lab web page for details and staff contact.

MRL Facilities Access and Training Guidelines:

The MRL Central Research Facilities laboratories are fully open to trained users on a 24/7 basis, with training and staff support available during regular working hours.

Consistent with post-COVID campus guidelines, face coverings are not required in the building. We encourage everyone to assess their personal risk level and decide where and when to wear a face covering.

For trained users with access to the MRL facilities, ensure you have reserved the instrument using our online reservation system.

As usual, no food or drink consumption is allowed inside the laboratories.

Wear masks, gloves, and additional PPE as required per lab and process.

In our laboratories, we will continue to provide paper wipes and cleaning supplies for users who want to clean/disinfect the working areas.

Any hazardous chemical process requires a buddy system (for example, wet chemical processes in the cleanroom labs). If you do not have a lab mate to be the buddy, contact MRL staff to serve in this role. Buddies must have PPE available to assist in an emergency.

Staff support: In general, during regular working hours, staff will be available either on-site or via phone, e-mail, or video conference. Staff contact information is posted on the door of each laboratory and in our website directory.

Instrument training: Face-to-face individual training is available following regular MRL facilities training request procedures.

Back up data before leaving the lab – this is very important in case of unexpected lab shutdown or to process the data from a remote location.

Do not leave material/samples in the lab unless authorized by staff. Take all working materials and personal belongings with you when leaving the lab.

Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any questions.

Warm regards,

Mauro Sardela, Ph.D.
Director, Central Research Facilities
Materials Research Laboratory
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
104 S. Goodwin Avenue – Urbana, IL 61801