MSRC USER'S MANUAL 2016
TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE A. INTRODUCTION 3 B. MSRC USERS 3 C. MSRC ACCESS 3 D. POLICIES 5 E. MSRC HEALTH AND SAFETY 6 F. LABORATORY MANAGERS MEETINGS 7 G. EXTRACURRICULAR USE OF MSRC FACILITIES 7 H. PHOTOCOPIER 7 H. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, MSRC GENERATED MATERIALS, AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 8 I. APPENDICES 9
A. INTRODUCTION The Molecular Sciences Research Center (MSRC) is part of University of Puerto Rico's Central Administration. The primary goal of the MSRC is to significantly increase competitively funded forefront scientific research performed by UPR scientists. The MSRC represents the first multidisciplinary research environment at UPR and was designed to meet the demands of cutting-edge research in Puerto Rico for the next 25 years. The MSRC open research space design paradigm features standardization, flexibility and adaptability, system integration, and ease of sharing equipment and human resources. Investigators use MSRC laboratories to conduct research at the cellular and molecular level. The MSRC seeks to promote interaction between investigators, students and other personnel from different fields in order to foster collaboration in a respectful and cooperative environment leading to productive and successful research. B. MSRC USERS MSRC Users include investigators, faculty, employees, contractors, collaborators, volunteers, students, visitors, suppliers, and other persons accessing the MSRC. C. MSRC ACCESS To enter the MSRC, all Users are required to have an official MSRC Identification Card (MSRC-ID). MSRC-IDs have different colors that identify different MSRC Users (Appendix I). The MSRC-ID must be worn over the waistline and be visible at all times while at the MSRC. MSRC-IDs are not transferable. If you already have an MSRC-ID, but misplaced it or do not have it with you, you may obtain a general MSRC-ID from the MSRC Security Officer on the first floor. You must sign-in prior to accessing the building and then sign-out and return the general MSRC-ID prior to exiting the MSRC. If you are a Principal Investigator (PI) or Administrative Staff and need to request access for someone that will be working in the MSRC, please contact Dr. Martín Montoya, MSRC General Manager, by email (martin.montoya@upr.edu) for the electronic MSRC Access Request. Once this form has been submitted, Dr. Montoya or MSRC Administrative Staff will send the electronic MSRC ID Acquisition and Activation Checklist by email to the specified person who needs access to the MSRC.
The requisites in the MSRC ID Acquisition and Activation Checklist must be fulfilled to be eligible to obtain an activated MSRC ID. Once MSRC Administrative Staff have received your complete MSRC ID Acquisition and Activation Checklist and confirmed your eligibility, you will be contacted by email to schedule a photo and MSRC-ID preparation. Instructions on how to activate your MSRC-ID will be provided that day. The ending date indicated in the aforementioned electronic documents will be used for MSRC-ID deactivation. Once the MSRC-ID has been deactivated, the person must return the card to the PI, Laboratory Manager, or MSRC Administrative Staff. If a time period extension to use the MSRC facilities is needed, the PI or Administrative Staff will need to complete and submit another electronic MSRC Access Request. TABLE: TYPE OF MSRC-ID AND ACCESS INFORMATION MSRC-ID TYPE DAYS HOURS LOCATIONS* Investigator 7 24 Floors 1 to 6 Associate Investigator 7 24 Floors 1 to 6 Administrative Staff 7 24 Floors 1 to 6 Graduate Student 7 24 Floors 1 to 6 Security 7 24 Floors 1 to 6 Laboratory Technicians/Managers 7 24 Floors 1 to 6 Temporary 7 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Floors 1 to 6 Undergraduate 7 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Floors 1 to 6 Maintenance - - - * Access to Floors 1 to 6 does not mean access to all laboratory areas. Access to the 7 th. Floor (MSRC Vivarium) is restricted to authorized personnel. Authorized personnel will accompany contractors. A lost or stolen MSRC-ID shall be reported to Mrs. Selma De León, Executive Secretary of the Investigation and Technology Vice-Presidency (selma.deleon@upr.edu), who will notify Mr. Rubén Medina, to disable the lost card. Mrs. De León will issue a new MSRC-ID upon payment of a $10.00 replacement fee to the MSRC. If the MSRD-ID is defective or damaged and needs replacement, contact Mrs. De León who will issue a new card at no cost.
To request access for suppliers, technical support, and/or company representatives, a PI, an Associate Investigator, a Laboratory Manager, or Administrative Staff must inform Mr. Medina and he will notify the MSRC Security Officers. Investigators, Laboratory Managers, or Administrative Staff must escort suppliers, technical support, and/or company representatives in order for these individuals to access the MSRC and must accompany them at all times throughout their visit. MSRC tours involving school children need to be coordinated with Dr. Montoya for special authorization. Visitors must be accompanied at all times by authorized users. D. POLICIES 1. Dress Policy: Proper attire is required; you MUST read Appendix II for details regarding MSRC dress code. 2. Undergraduate Student Policy: Undergraduate students can use MSRC facilities only if their work will be completely supervised by a mentor or senior laboratory member. Mentors are defined as PIs, Post-doctoral Researchers, Associate Investigators, Laboratory Managers, Research Supervisors, and Graduate Students. The assigned mentor must escort the undergraduate student from the reception area to the working area. The undergraduate student CANNOT work alone in the laboratory. The mentor needs to be present in the laboratory area during the time the student is working and also must be able to have visual contact with the student during that time. 3. Animal Access Policy: Service and Laboratory Animals Service animals are allowed entry into non-laboratory areas of the MSRC. However, service animals may not enter laboratory areas. The NIH Guidelines state the following: For Biosafety Level 2 (Appendix G-II-B-2-g): Animals not involved in the work being performed are not permitted in the laboratory. In addition, service animals will not be allowed in the MSRC Vivarium. Exposure of resident laboratory mice and rats to other animals may pose a risk of contamination and may also induce stress-related effects
that can affect resident animals' well-being and also impact research results (Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, 8 th. Edition). Access of laboratory mice and rats from other animal facilities is restricted and requires Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) approval. Please contact Dr. Alexis García, MSRC Vivarium Director (alexis.garcia3@upr.edu), for questions regarding the Animal Access Policy. E. MSRC HEALTH AND SAFETY Users performing experiments or studies at the MSRC are required to read the MSRC Biosafety Manual and MSRC Chemical Hygiene Plan. These documents provide essential information including methods for exposure control such as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and instructions on how to proceed in case of a chemical or biological spill. Also, employees are required to receive Bloodborne Pathogens training per Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Users involved in laboratory accidents at the MSRC should complete the MSRC Laboratory Incident Report Form (Appendix III). This report will assist in preventing and/or mitigating future accidents. Please send an email to Ms. Lillyvette Carrau Marty, Environmental Quality, Occupational Safety and Health Office Director (lillyvette.carrau@upr.edu), and Mrs. Omayra Rivera Troche, MSRC Health and Safety Officer (omayra.riveratroche@upr.edu), for questions regarding MSRC health and safety. MSRC Institutional Biosafety Committee (MSRC-IBC): All studies involving hazardous materials including infectious agents, recombinant or synthetic nucleic acids, manipulation/harvesting of human or animal cells/tissues/fluids/other potentially infectious materials (OPIM), and/or nano-objects must be registered with the MSRC-IBC. PIs must complete and submit one online MSRC-IBC Registration Form for each applicable study/project. Then the MSRC-IBC will evaluate and provide recommendations for the study/project. Research studies/projects MUST NOT start without MSRC-IBC approval. Please contact the MSRC-IBC (ibc.msrc@upr.edu) for questions regarding your research studies/projects. 6
F. LABORATORY MANAGERS MEETINGS Laboratory Managers Meetings are held in the Conference Room on the First Floor of the MSRC approximately every three to six months. These meetings provide a forum for exchange of information between MSRC Administration and laboratory members. During each meeting, each Laboratory Manager will submit to MSRC Administrative Staff the names of researchers that finished their investigation and will no longer work at the MSRC. G. EXTRACURRICULAR USE OF MSRC FACILITIES Investigators planning extracurricular activities at the MSRC, outside the regular working hours and/or during the weekend, are required to request permission (in writing) from Dr. Montoya at least 10 days prior to the event. There are two Conference Rooms at the MSRC (First and Second Floor). You can reserve a Conference Room 10 days prior to the activity date by contacting Mrs. De León. Conference Rooms should not be used as classrooms or study rooms. H. COPIER/PRINTER/FAX MACHINE The use of this equipment is limited to the copying/printing/sending of official documents related to your investigation or administrative work. It is PROHIBITED to use the copier for printing personal documents or documents not related to your work at the MSRC. Every PI and Administrative Staff has a personal code in order to access the copier/printer/fax machine, which is located in the Office Area on the Second Floor of the MSRC. Please protect MSRC facilities and equipment and maintain work and common areas organized and clean. I. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, MSRC GENERATED MATERIALS, AND ACKNOWLDGEMENTS For questions or concerns regarding intellectual property, please contact Salvatore Casale Villani, Esq., Tech Transfer and Innovations Office Director (salvatore.casale@upr.edu). MSRC Technical, Administrative Staff, and Director could use some images or data generated by MSRC Users in public seminars or publicity material with suitable acknowledgement. Prior permission may be obtained if required. Additionally, generic
methods, or process know-how developed in the MSRC, could be made available to other MSRC Users, unless the person generating the information objects to it. 8
Regarding reports or publications, personnel that have used the MSRC facilities to generate results, are encouraged to acknowledge the MSRC where appropriate. Through acknowledgement, MSRC Users recognize the assistance rendered by MSRC Technical and Administrative Staff.
APPENDIX I MSRC IDENTIFICATION CARD
APPENDIX II MSRC DRESS CODE
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APPENDIX III MSRC LABORATORY INCIDENT REPORT
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