Rates
Carolina Microscopy use is fee-for service and open for use by UNC researchers and external customers both academic and commercial. UNC-CH laboratories affiliated with Lineberger Cancer Center, IDDRC, Department of Pathology, or the College or Arts and Sciences receive subsidized rates for light microscopy. Laboratories with multiple affiliations will receive the subsidy that provides the lowest cost. For questions about subsidy affiliation status, please consult with your Center Director’s office. Rates subject to change for compliance with OSP requirements. This page was updated 4/2/2026.
Instrument Use — Light Microscopy
Use of Carolina Microscopy instrumentation, including training time and independent use, is charged at the following rates to recover operating expenses. Independent use of Carolina Microscopy instruments requires training from Carolina Microscopy Staff.
- High LM: Advanced light microscopes with high operational costs. Includes modern confocal systems, Ultramicroscope II, diSPIM.
- Low LM: Light microscopes with low operational costs. Includes high content and slide scanning systems, widefield systems, older confocal systems, MuVi SPIM.
- Long term imaging: For experiments that last longer than 6 hours of continuous use, time after the first 6 hours is discounted. The first 6 hours are at standard rate.
Use of the NMC cryostat or NMC Tokai Hit is $27/hr for IDDRC members and $30 for all other UNC and UNC System users. External should request pricing from NMC staff.
Training—Light Microscopy
Successful independent use requires advanced discussion and time on the instrument with an instructor commensurate with the complexity of the instrumentation and experiment.
Training costs
The price for training includes hands-on time at the instrument across multiple sessions, project consultation, and minor assistance as needed.
| Training cost per hour | |
|---|---|
| UNC and UNC System | $121/hr |
| College of Arts and Sciences | $86/hr |
| IDDRC | $98/hr |
| LCCC | $90/hr |
| External Academic | $188/hr |
| External Commercial | $241/hr |
Training units
To ensure competent operation, the following units of time are charged for each training session.
- High LM: Advanced light microscopes with high operational costs. Includes modern confocal systems, Ultramicroscope II, diSPIM.
- Low LM: Light microscopes with low operational costs. Includes high content and slide scanning systems, widefield systems, older confocal systems, MuVi SPIM.
- Analysis workstation training is charged at minimum the time indicated. Time beyond the minimum will be charged per hour for the actual time.
- Re-training applies when users have not used an instrument for an extended period of time or a user is moving from one instrument to another of the same capability and software.
- Advanced training applies to tasks beyond standard image collection that take more than 15 minutes of staff time to adequate train. These include, but are not limited to, FRAP and photomanipulation, STED, live cell imaging, spectral imaging, and 3D deconvolution. Actual time will be charged.
Electron Microscopy
- Electron microscopy projects are highly customized to our users’ needs and pricing depends on many technical details. To ensure accuracy, we provide prices for other electron microscopy projects (SEM, ultrathin sections, immunoEM, etc) only after an initial meeting and in-depth discussion with Carolina Microscopy staff.