User Information
What type of RARAF user are you?
Columbia University’s Radiological Research Accelerator Facility (RARAF) is a Biomedical Technology Resource Center, funded by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and BioEngineering, and designed to serve the needs of a large broadly-based community of users who wish to use microbeam irradiation capabilities. We welcome outside users to our facility to make use of our unique single-cell/single-particle microbeam irradiators and the associated imaging capabilities.
Why do we need the distinction of Service versus Collaboration?
We are required by the guidelines of our grant from NIBIB to distinguish between users that are Service-Based and users that are Collaboration-Based.
What is the difference between Service and Collaboration?
There are two ways in which outside users can use the RARAF facilities: through service-based experiments or through collaborative interaction. As described in more detail on their separate pages, Service is generally characterized by routine operation of our current technologies, in which we provide support but not necessarily significant intellectual input. By contrast, a Collaboration experiment involves the development of new technologies for microbeam studies and typically involves close collaboration with RARAF staff. We welcome both types of interactions.
To maintain high scientific standards, all experiment applications are evaluated by RARAF staff and, in the case of collaborative studies, by the RARAF External Advisory Committee. All prospective users must abide by our collaboration and service policy.
RARAF-Experimenter Interactions
RARAF holds to strict guidelines that differentiate collaboration from service, and the distinction between the two must be made during the application process for each experiment. Prospective users can and should consult with RARAF staff when planning an initial experiment application. Be sure to follow the guidelines to differentiate between service and collaboration based projects as they have different application forms and approval processes.
While distinctly different in nature, both Service and Collaboration users will interact strongly with the RARAF staff throughout the lifetime of their experiments.