Operations

Requests for Services

ALL requests MUST be submitted in writing to avoid any misunderstandings regarding your animals.  
Please contact us with your request.

Once your request has been received and reviewed, you will be contacted for an initial consultation/meeting.

In addition, please provide with a copy of your approved animal protocol and any approved amendments to it.

Frequently Asked Questions:

• What needs to be done before an imaging experiment can begin?
• Can AMIF provide me with information for a grant submission?
• If I use AMIF services, what is my involvement? 

Things to keep in mind:

1. You will receive the following from the AMIF within 72 hours of an imaging session
   1. An excel spreadsheet detailing the imaging session which includes animal IDs, body weights, imaging parameters, file numbers for images, notes from imaging session
   2. A Power Point file with images from the imaging session of all the mice
   3. An excel spreadsheet with the data from the observed signals.  Data will be in photons/second.
2. On average, imaging time runs ~10-15 minutes per mouse (assuming 2-3 mice can be imaged at the same time).
3. Luciferin will be needed for each imaging session. Luciferin is injected before imaging at 10 µl/1 g BW.
   1. Luciferin can be provided by AMIF at $8/1 ml vial. 
   2. AMIF purchases luciferin from Caliper Life Sciences, Inc., it normally sells for $649/g.  Before purchasing, please check with us to see if there is a current quotation on file for WVU.
   3. Preparation instructions pdf
4. If you are using mice with hair (non-Nude mice) your lab will be responsible for shaving the animals for the imaging sessions if you require this.
5. Remember, when doing bioluminescence studies, you will want to incorporate an imaging control that does not express luciferase, but is injected with luciferin (i.e., background control).
6. ALL CELLS being injected into mice must have documentation that they are PATHOGEN FREE.   This documentation MUST be provided to AMIF before a study will be initiated.
   1. Human derived cells must be tested using the h-IMPACT II profile at RADIL
   2. Rodent cells must be testing using the IMPACT I profile at RADIL  
7. AMIF must be provided with a copy of your current ACUC protocol
   1. Animal imaging must be added to your protocol
   2. Sarah McLaughlin must be added to your protocol