Aparecium!

Our infrastructures make the difficult doable

At Medfarm, we have a range of infrastructure facilities that offer high-quality services and access to equipment for the Disciplinary Domain’s researchers at subsidised prices. As the new Vice-Dean for Research Infrastructure, I become proud, curious and inspired when I, along with the other members of the Research Infrastructure Committee (FISK), tour the facilities that have been prioritised for Medfarm-wide support for the current three-year period.

There is a wide range of facilities supporting many different types of projects. So far, in FISK, we have learned how we can get help studying behaviour in mice and fish at UUBF, how we can create groundbreaking metabolite maps in tissue sections at Spatial Omics, how we can get professional help with electron microscopy and borrow fine microscopes at Biovis, and how we can investigate the quantity, structure and dynamics of molecules with advanced NMR technology. A common element of the facilities is their high level of competence and commitment.

The challenge of reaching all researchers

Something else that I see as common to all the infrastructures is the challenge of visibility and outreach. In Vision:Medfarm, there is a clear goal that everyone working at the Disciplinary Domain should have a good knowledge of the infrastructures. So why is this awareness so important?

In my opinion, the facilities themselves cannot know who may need their services and where these researchers are. It is the researchers themselves who can understand whether these technologies and services can help them answer their research questions. Thus, an improved visibility can help the facilities reach their full potential clientele and thereby contribute to increased quality and excellence of research at Medfarm.

Steps along the way

So, how can the infrastructures be more visible to the researchers at our large Disciplinary Domain in an age of high information flow? Hermione Granger of the Harry Potter books used the spell “Aparecium!” which, together with a specific wave of the wand, made invisible things visible. I do not have a degree from Hogwarts, but I devote a lot of thought to how we can increase awareness of the available infrastructures and what they can help with.

If you have become curious about the services on offer, you can find recently updated information here. Also, keep an eye on Medfarm’s news page in the future. A series of articles on the infrastructures is planned, starting with the NMR platform. Perhaps you would like to invite one of the infrastructures to your department to learn more about what they offer.Who knows – maybe they can help your research reach magical heights?

Tove Fall, Vice-Dean for Research Infrastructure