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The new pricing structure in the Image Resource Facility (IRF) is the result of a cross departmental effort to ensure the university recovers income as well as costing services appropriately for researchers and funders; providing auditable appropriate charges for use of equipment and services.

Some funders pay overheads directly to the university and as such must not be charged again for use of or access to university supplied services. Additionally, there are funding categories that allow an institution to charge for different expenses incurred

As a result, we have 5 levels of pricing dependent on the source of funding provided. 

Funding source

Example

Charge

Cost to funder/researcher at point of IRF use

Full Economically Costed (FEC) grants

UKRI, MRC, BBSRC

Cannot charge for equipment use and services

Zero. Funds provided via overhead payments to university

Small charities/other funders

British Heart Foundation

Can charge for equipment use and services

A portion of what it costs the university to provide

Commercial grants

Grants from pharmaceutical companies

Can charge for equipment use and services

A portion of what it costs the university to provide

Internal recharges

University sourced funding

Can charge for equipment use and services

A portion of what it costs the university to provide

Commercial rates

Access of facility by external parties

Can charge for equipment use and services

Benchmarked pricing – not less than what it cost the university to provide

Facility costs

For funding applications please follow the process:

  1. Discuss any IRF resources required with the specialist technicians for Flow Cytometry, Light Microscopy, Sample preparation or the Head of Facility.
  2. Download the IRF costing spreadsheet (Excel) and complete the areas indicated for Principal Investigator.
  3. Return by email to irf@sgul.ac.uk. It will be checked and completed by IRF staff who will make the necessary checks with the Joint Research and Enterprise Funding (JRES) Team.
  4. The finalised spreadsheet will be returned to the applicant for use during the application process with the JRES. 

For use of equipment and services

Costs for equipment and services is reviewed annually and will vary according to funder i.e. individuals using the same piece of equipment may have different pricing in place for its use.

The table below shows the range of costs we accommodate for the different funder categories and commercial (external) pricing, this will be updated annually.

St George’s, University of London staff and students with queries on specific costs for equipment and services should contact the IRF with the following information included:

  • equipment or service required
  • source of Funding
  • sub-project code number.

Following required checks with the Joint Research and Enterprise Funding (JRES) Team, the user will be informed which stream of funding is appropriate and prices shared accordingly.

Staff and students can access the equipment and services in the IRF but must first register on the PPMS booking system. Please follow the guidance on Page 2 of this document (PDF).

Facility costs for sample based services from the Image Resource Facility at St George's
IRF service numberSample based service Benchmark commercial price Price is per
ServiceDIY
 1  Immunohistochemistry  £15  £6  Slide
 2  H + E Histology  £6  £3  Slide
 3  Lillies Trichrome Histology  £8  £4  Slide
 4  Sectioning - Cryostat  £22  £11  Slide
 5  Sectioning - Wax  £20  £10  Block
 6  Embedding - Cryostat  £4  £2  Block
 7  Embedding - Wax (includes use of processor machine)  £24  £12  Block
 8  APES Coated Slides  £0.20  £0.10  Slide
 17  FACS Melody Cell Sorter  £140  £70  Sample
 23  Leica Automated Tissue Processor  £40  £20  Sample

 

Facility costs for hourly based services from the Image Resource Facility at St George's, University of London
IRF service number Hourly based service Benchmark commercial price Price is per 
Service  DIY
 9  A1R Nikon Confocal Microscope £100   £50  Hour
 10  Nie Nikon Epifluorescent Microscope  £40  £20  Hour
 12  Zeis Axiovert 200M Epifluorescent Microscope £40   £20  Hour
 14  Nanozoomer Side Scanner  £40  £20  Hour
 15  T-SPIM  £50  £25  Hour
 16 LiveCyte   £60  £30  Hour
 18 Cytoflex Cell Analyzer   £100 £50   Hour
 19  AutoScratch Wound Maker  £40  £20  Hour
22 Pico ImageXpress £50 £25 Hour

 

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