Pricing for facility use

Discount policy

To encourage efficient use of the facility and make it attractive to run longer autonomous experiments, DaMBIC applies a 50% discount for microscope use between 18:00 and 08:00 and a 50% discount for booked time beyond the first 8 consecutive hours. Discounts are not cumulative.

Training and getting started

We offer free introductory training for students, PhD students, postdocs, and PIs. This includes training and certification for independent use together with 4 free microscope hours connected to the training process.

Free support

Routine support is therefore provided free of charge. Free support includes help with getting started in the facility, standard onboarding and access to the booking system, advice on choosing the most suitable imaging approach for a project, routine training and certification for independent use, brief help with microscope setup and standard acquisition settings, brief troubleshooting of common problems, short guidance on data export and standard file handling, and free sessions to discuss the most suitable imaging and image analysis strategy for a project.

Supported imaging

Supported imaging applies when DaMBIC staff perform imaging for the user, remain substantially involved during acquisition, provide advanced hands-on experimental support, or carry out setup or optimization beyond routine brief assistance. This is charged as an additional hourly assistance fee on top of the microscope rate.

Special rates for method development collaborations

DaMBIC welcomes scientific collaborations involving the development of new imaging methods, workflows, and analysis approaches.

For projects that involve collaborative development of new methods, special rates may be agreed depending on the nature of the work, the expected scientific value, and the level of joint development involved.

The long-session discount applies only to unsupervised use. This means that the discount for booking time beyond 8 consecutive hours does not apply to supported imaging, staff-assisted imaging, staff-performed imaging, or other bookings requiring substantial staff involvement.

Cancellations and changes to bookings

Bookings may be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours before the scheduled start time. If a booking is cancelled less than 24 hours before the scheduled start time, the user will be charged 10% of the value of the cancelled booking time. If a booking is shortened, stopped early, or released during the booked period, the user will be charged 10% of the value of the unused booked time.

Prepaid deposit model

To reduce bureaucracy and simplify administration, the university administration supports that users or groups deposit microscopy funds with DaMBIC in advance. These funds are held as prepaid microscopy credit and are used to cover future microscope and staff-support charges.

To encourage advance deposit of funds, DaMBIC adds bonus microscopy credit as follows: 5,000–9,999 DKK = 5%; 10,000–19,999 DKK = 7.5%; 20,000 DKK or more = 10%.

Usage reward model

To reward active users who use the prepaid deposit model, DaMBIC also provides a usage-based microscopy credit bonus.

At the end of each 3-month period, total billed usage is reviewed. Users or groups who use the prepaid deposit model and exceed the thresholds below receive bonus microscopy credit for future use: more than 10,000 DKK = 10%; more than 20,000 DKK = 15%; more than 30,000 DKK = 20%.The reward is added as microscopy credit for future use.

The prepaid deposit model is open to all user categories.

The usage reward model is also open to all user categories, but applies only to users or groups who use the prepaid deposit model.

Support for users without available funding

DaMBIC’s guiding principle is that strong science should not be prevented solely by lack of immediate funds.

SDU users who do not have sufficient funds for access may therefore apply for a waiver of fees. Such applications should be made to the Head of DaMBIC and the Head of Institute.

Requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the scientific value of the work, the user’s circumstances, and the available capacity and resources of the center.