Access to the resources available at the MMRC is through collaborations with MMRC members. We strongly recommend that you discuss your specific project with MMRC members prior to preparing samples or planning to use the facility.

The MMRC offers analytical and instructional expertise in state of the art mass spectrometric techniques and data analysis with the primary aim of providing investigators with “hands-on” training and access to contemporary resources needed to develop and meet their metabolomics research interests.

In order to use the resources, you will have to undergo the appropriate training and follow all the usage guidelines. The level of instruction is such that following completion of the initial training (usually 4-8 hrs) and several periods of supervised use, the researcher may exercise independent, unattended use of an instrument with instructor approval. The training is instrument specific and is provided during the signed up instrument time and has to be coordinated with MMRC staff.

The MMRC is operated as a Cost Center through which institutional users (academic, non-profit and corporate) contribute to the upkeep of the resource by means of a recharge system. Rates are based on the operating costs and individual instrument usage. To keep the operating costs low, our collaborators must supply all the consumables needed for sample preparation and mass spec analysis (including LC columns, vials etc, as per usage guidelines).

All rates are reviewed and approved by the University of Washington Administration and are subject to change.

To initiate a new collaboration, submit a detailed project description via email to the center director. After submitting the project details and billing information, you will be able to schedule instrument time. But make sure to coordinate with MMRC personnel to get access to the facility and schedule instruction time if training is needed.

During our first year (2013), the MMRC can support a very small number of projects by granting access to resources at no charge (other than for expendables). The intent is to support small scale projects (max. 5 days of instrument time), e.g. to produce preliminary data for a grant proposal. The mechanism of proposing a MMRC supported collaboration is through dialogue with the center Director and ultimately the submission of an abstract.

Note that the MMRC is focused on supporting only the best science, from novel environmental biology to cutting edge environmental technology. Only abstracts proposing generation of novel environmental data and/or novel use of existing technology will be pursued. MMRC supported collaboration requests are reviewed to determine suitability and acceptance of the proposed project. The review process can be lengthy, upwards of one month, so please plan ahead.

Progress Report
All investigators performing projects at the MMRC are asked to submit project updates, including publications, to the MMRC advisory committee. Periodically the MMRC will be sending reminders to submit a progress report. This project summary, can be brief in nature (no more than a page in length), should highlight the scientific progress made as a result of the MMRC collaboration. A manuscript or a poster can suffice.

Publication/Citation
It is our policy that key collaborator(s) within the MMRC share in co-authorship of any manuscripts that are the result of work performed at the Resource. Minimally, the MMRC should be acknowledged as follows in publications: “This work was supported in part by the University of Washington’s Microbial Metabolomics Research Center.”

Here are the ABRF guidelines for authorship for personnel working in facilities such as the MMRC.

Data retention
Both short term and long term storage of the acquired files is the sole responsibility of the users of the Resource. The MMRC will strive to maintain (but not guarantee) copies of acquired raw data files for up to one year of the acquisition date. After that time, the files will be purged/deleted from our storage systems.