1. OBJECTIVES OF THE PLATFORM

The PICT platform forms and provides the scientific community with various confocal and electronic microscopes and a wide range of sophisticated methods of vital confocal microscopy and immunochemistry. It is also a source of advices, collaborations and a "school of morphology" for users, providing them with the necessary expertise in all stages of the experiment, from sample preparation to analysis and interpretation of data.

2. PRACTICAL INFORMATIONS 

2.1. Localization of the platform PICT:

DDUV Institute, UCLouvain
avenue Hippocrate, 75 - B1.75.05, 1200 Brussels
tower 75, floor +2       

2.2. Staff & contact:

• Prof. D. Tyteca, responsible of the platform
  CELL & PICT, DDUV, UCLouvain (tower 75, floor +2); donatienne.tyteca@uclouvain.be
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• Dr. P. Van Der Smissen, scientist in charge of the platform
  CELL & PICT, DDUV, UCLouvain (tower 75, floor +2); patrick.vandersmissen@uclouvain.be

3. OFFERED SERVICES 

Four terms of use of the platform are possible:

3.1. Use of confocal microscopes and imaging methods:

To use the confocal microscopes and imaging methods of the platform, you must first follow a training (3 hours of theory and 2 sessions of 3 hours of practice assisted individually) by Patrick Van Der Smissen (Patrick.vandersmissen@uclouvain.be; 02/764.75.46).

Once formed, you can perform your experiences yourself, upon microscope booking at http://mrbs2.icp.ucl.ac.be/index.php. Quotas are set on the site to allow easy access to all users.

3.2. Request of expertise in confocal microscopy:

To request technical or biological advices besides using microscopes, please contact P. Van Der Smissen (technical advices) or D. Tyteca (biological questions).

3.3. Request of collaboration in confocal microscopy:

To establish a scientific collaboration based on confocal microscopy, please contact D. Tyteca or P. Van Der Smissen.

They will either themselves perform the experiment or transfer the request to a researcher of the CELL unit, expert in the application.