Introduction Guidelines New Group Members
Version: 2024-08-24
Intro
- Contact the secretaries for general information, administrative issues, or organizational issues. You will receive a package containing this introduction checklist and several appendixes about scientific conduct, health & safety, sustainability and data management.
- Activate your university account online at (diy.rug.nl) to obtain a P-number or a S-number.
- You can register online for a RUG-pass (university employee card) on (mijnrugpas.rug.nl). The RUG-pass can be used for the coffee machines, printing, building/lab access and parking (parking is available for people that live more than 15 km from Zernike campus, not for guests). Login with your P-number, upload a recent profile picture and request the RUG-pass. You will receive the RUG-pass at your home address. If you have previously requested a RUG-pass, it is possible that it will be sent to your old address.
- For access to the building and the labs, request a room access form at the reception. Bring the signed room access form and your RUG-pass to the reception to acquire the room access on your pass. Staff members (PhD, Post-Doc) can request 24-hour access, citing ‘research’ as the reason. For access to ML-2 labs, you also need permission from the lab manager and the biosafety officer.
- You will be assigned to a personal desk and office space. The key for the office will be distributed by the secretaries (for students there is a €20,- deposit for the key).
- Staff members will be assigned to a personal computer. The serial number of the PC is linked to the staff member (you can take the PC with you when changing offices). At the end of your contract the PC needs to be returned. For help regarding your computer or data storage, contact the CIT service desk (33232).
- Internet connection can be acquired by connecting to the Eduroam WIFI or via the wired network. To connect to the Eduroam WIFI, login with your P-number@rug.nl (p123456@rug.nl) and your university account password. To connect to the wired network, plug an ethernet cable in a wall outlet and your PC and request a network patch via CIT at (rug.topdesk.net).
- For printing go to (rug.mycampusprint.nl), login with your P-number. Select the print settings and upload your files. Go to the printer, login with your RUG-pass and print your documents.
- (Optional) For the group website (sm-biophysics.com) send a recent profile picture and a short bio to the lab technician (see website for comparison of picture and bio length).
- News, announcements, meetings, etc. are distributed via email and/or in the group calendar. Contact the secretaries to add you to the group mailing list (CHEMBIO1@list.rug.nl) and the group calendar.
- Your P-number is linked to a personal virtual workspace called UWP (university work place). You can log in to the UWP from any managed computer at the university and remote from home on (uwp.rug.nl). With the remote UWP you can access your files and installed software from home.
- All documents and data files that are produced during your stay needs to be stored on the X-drive (more space on the X-drive can be requested if needed). The X-drive is backed up daily and can be accessed in your UWP. Use a proper file directory system for all data collected and stored on the X-drive.
- All documents and data files need to be properly labelled. File names should start with the date (year-month-day) and end with your initials (example: 20230215_File_name_AB).
- On the Y-drive you can find software/documents that are shared within the research group. Documents stored on the Y-drive can be modified/deleted by other group members, don’t store important files here.
- Every staff member that produces scientific data at the university must make a RDMP (Research Data Management Plan). In a RDMP you describe how data is produced, processed and safely stored. The RDMP should be completed within in 2 months for a 6-month contract, or within 6 months for contracts longer than 1 year. You can create a RDMP at (rdmp.webhosting.rug.nl), login with your P-number and university password. Visitors or students can contact e.g.vrieling@rug.nl for RDMP access.
- Via my university (myuniversity.rug.nl) you can complete and edit your online RUG profile page. Via this profile page people can find your contact information on the university website. Login with your P-number and university password, hover over your name in the top right corner and click ‘View your profile page’ to edit. Via my university you can also access the Shared Services portal (AFAS).
- Holidays, doctor/dentist visits (‘special leave’) and other days off must be requested in the Shared Services portal. Always discuss holidays with your research manager well in advance. Please also put your holidays and days off in the group calendar.
- Illness should be reported in the Shared Services portal. Please also send an email to the secretaries and your research manager. When you get back, report it again in the Shared Services portal.
- At the end of the week, you need to register your working hours in the Shared Services portal. Go to the projects portal tab and select ‘register hours’. Here you can select the number of hours worked per day (holidays and days off are automatically added). After reporting the working hours, you need to approve them in the projects portal by selecting all checkboxes and clicking on the approve button.
- English is the official language of the lab. It is the only language to be used for presentations, posters, scientific communication, data labelling/storage, lab journals, sample labelling etc. If your English is not good enough to communicate clearly with your co-workers, or to write an academic document independently, you can take a language course and/or writing course at the University Language Center.
- Every staff member has to follow the scientific integrity rules at all times. Fraud, plagiarism and other unethical practices are unacceptable under any circumstance. For the scientific integrity you will have to read the Netherlands Code of Conduct for Research Integrity (Appendix 1). PhD students have to complete the scientific integrity course within the four years of their PhD contract.
- The lab technician will show new group members the lab facilities and inform about safety regulations. New group members that will work in ML-1/ML-2 labs, first have to read the Biological Safety Handbook by Health Safety & Environment FSE (Appendix 2), before they start working in the ML-1/ML-2 labs.
- For accessing the ML-2 labs and/or working with Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s) you need permission from the Biological Safety Officer. You can register online for ML-2 lab permission (myuniversity.rug.nl/infonet/medewerkers/gezondheid-arbeidsomstandigheden/veiligheid-in-het-lab/biologischeveiligheid/permission-for-working-with-genetically-modified-organisms).
- Upload a certificate t0 prove you have experience working with GMO’s and that you are familiar with the safety regulations or follow an online E-learning course to get up to date with the latest GMO’s regulations.
- Staff members will be assigned to a personal lab bench in one of the labs. Personal pipet set, fridge space, freezer space and ULT freezer space will be assigned (students share with their supervisor).
- Every new group member has to undergo trainingfor sustainable practices and will get an introduction to the LEAF (Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework). For LEAF you will have to read the Guidebook for Sustainability in Labs by Green Labs RUG FSE (Appendix 3).
- Before working in the lab, your project and work plan needs to be discussed and approved by your research manager. This includes background literature for the project. Schedule an appointment with your supervisor in advance prior to starting lab work.
​
Working in the lab
- Comply with the ML-1/ML-2 safety regulations at all times, see Biological Safety Handbook by Health Safety & Environment FSE (Appendix 2) for more details. A short list of the most important ML-1/ML-2 regulations and lab rules can be found at the entrances of the labs.
- Adhere to sustainable and green practices as much as possible. This includes saving energy by switching off unused equipment/lights, close fume hoods after use and reduce the amount of waste produced. Stickers on equipment indicate if they can be safely switched off or not.
- Wear a lab coat in the labs at all times. Do not take the lab coat outside the lab before autoclaving it.
- New lab coats and glassware can be found in the ‘Kitchen’ (room: 5171.0435).
- Used glassware needs to be rinsed with water and placed in the white trays. GMO contaminated glassware needs to be autoclaved first. The white trays are collected in the morning. Do not place glass beakers, graduated cylinders, volumetric flasks, etc. in the white trays (only glass bottles and Erlenmeyer flasks).
- Liquid nitrogen can be found in the logistic corner North 8th. Before getting liquid nitrogen, you need to follow the safety training. Always get liquid nitrogen with two people. Wear a facemask/goggles and thermal gloves when handling liquid nitrogen. Do not use the elevator when transporting liquid nitrogen!
- Write down all experiments performed in a physical lab journal or an electronic lab journal. For access to the electronic lab journal, contact your research manager or the lab technician.
- Keep a detailed list of all your created DNA constructs, a list of your created primers and a list of all your stored GMO samples (glycerol stocks, cell pellets, agar plates, samples with living cells).
- Label your samples properly with your name/initials and the date. Samples in common areas (incubators, fridge/freezer, weighing room, sinks, etc.) that are not properly labeled will be discarded.
- Work hours are from 8 am to 8 pm. When working on weekends, national holidays or after working hours, register at (myuniversity.rug.nl/infonet/medewerkers/fse/hse/building-safety/planon-presence).
Doing “dangerous” experiments or working alone in the lab is not allowed outside of regular working hours. Always register your presence and work with two people in the lab when outside of regular working hours.
​
​
​- Before using equipment for the first time, ask for instruction. For certain equipment it’s mandatory to get instructions and/or training, such as the FPLC, Ctrap, FL-plate reader, sonicator and autoclave.
- When in doubt on how to use equipment, always ask the lab manager for instructions.
- After using equipment, leave the equipment clean and ready to use. Switch off equipment wherever appropriate to reduce energy costs (check the stickers on equipment before switching them off).
- For some equipment there is an online booking sheet (FPLC and Ctrap) or a physical booking sheet (sonicators and thermal cyclers). Incubators, heat-blocks and centrifuges can be booked by writing your name, date and device settings on a piece of tape. When booking equipment make sure you follow the booked timeslot to prevent long waiting times. Unbook your timeslot if you no longer need it.
​
​
- ChemSearch can be used to check the availability of chemicals in our group and in other research groups. To access ChemSearch go to (fsechem.gai.rug.nl) and login with your P-number and university password. More information on how to use the ChemSearch database can be found in (Appendix 4).
- To order chemicals/consumables, contact the lab technician. Mention the name and amount of the product, if possible the CAS-number, article number, purity and preferred supplier.
- Oligos and genes can be ordered at IDT (eu.idtdna.com). Ask the lab technician for the login credentials. The IDT products are paid with a prepaid oligo card (814761941677).
- DNA sequencing is performed by Eurofins Genomics (eurofinsgenomics.eu). Ask the lab technician for the login credentials. Sequencing is performed in special sequencing tubes. Collect all tubes in a Ziplock bag and depose it in the orange mail box before 15.00 at Nijenborgh 3 to send it for overnight sequencing.
​
- If a common area or equipment is dirty you can clean it during a waiting step, even if you didn’t use it. If a GMO waste bag is almost full you can autoclave it, even if it is not your waste bag. If the autoclave is finished, you can empty it, discard the waste, fill it again and start the next sterilization run.
- If chemicals, enzymes or other consumables are almost running out, write it on the whiteboard and/or contact the lab technician. This way new consumables can be ordered on time, before they run out.
- Keep your workplaces tidy. When finished with your lab work, disinfect your bench with 70% ethanol. Only the water/ethanol bottles should be left on your bench at the end of the day.
- The last person to leave the lab at the end of the day, checks if equipment and lights are switched off, fume hoods are closed and fridge/freezer/safety cabinet doors are closed properly.
- Feel responsible for your co-workers and the lab facilities at all times.
​
Waste disposal
- Packaging material and clean tissues go in the normal waste (do not throw gloves in normal waste!).
- Carton and paper waste should be disposed in the blue container in the logistics corner.
- Glass waste, clean and contaminated, should be disposed in the red container in the logistic corner.
- Clean or GMO contaminated consumables/gloves should be disposed in the autoclave destruction bags. Full destruction bags need to be autoclaved for 30 minutes at 121°C. After autoclaving, the sterilized waste goes in the yellow waste bags and should be disposed it in the red drum in the logistics corner.
- GMO contaminated waste that cannot be autoclaved goes in de 50L medical bins with yellow lid.
- Chemical contaminated waste should be disposed in the 50L black drums (tissues and weighing cups that are contaminated with medium or agar powder can go in the normal waste).
- Liquid chemical waste goes in the correct jerrycan in the safety cabinet (see waste disposal stream form).
- Needles, razor blades or other sharp objects go in the yellow needle bin with red lid.
- In case of doubt, always consult your daily supervisor and/or the lab technician.
- Empty chemical containers (containers with a green or white sticker) should not be discarded but instead be placed in the safety cabinet in the logistics corner to remove them from the FSE ChemSearch database.
- Full waste containers should be discarded according to the waste disposal streams (Appendix 5).
​
​
Sustainability
- The Chemical Biology I group is part of the LEAF program. The LEAF program helps to make our labs more sustainable, to produce less waste and to reduce the energy consumption.
- Every new staff member has to undergo training for sustainable practices and will get an introduction to the LEAF. For LEAF you will have to read the Guidebook for Sustainability in Labs by Green Labs FSE.
- Try to limit the waste production and energy consumption, unless it interferes with safety measures.
- Save energy by switching off unused equipment, lights and computers and close fume hoods when not in use. Stickers on equipment indicate if they can be safely switched off or not.
- Twice a year there is a lab cleaning that is mandatory for all group members. During the lab cleaning the lab surfaces and equipment are disinfected with 70% ethanol. Every group member makes an inventory of their fridge/freezer/ULT-freezer space and dispose material that is no longer needed.
- If required, freezers get defrosted to save energy. Freezers with a lot of ice use more energy.
- Certain consumables such as electroporation cuvettes, gravity flow columns and purification beads can be reused, unless it interferes with the experiments, to reduce the amount of waste and to save costs.
- Certain plastic consumables such as weighing cups, pipets and Drigalski spatulas can be replaced with glass/steel variants to reduce the amount of plastic waste produced in our laboratories.
- As a member of the Chemical Biology I group, you are expected to regularly keep up with sustainable practices, regulations and participate in appropriate training sessions.
​
​
Meetings
- Work discussions, research talks, seminars, colloquia are an integral part of the academic training and all group members are expected to attend these meetings if possible.
- Monday work discussions are from 16:30 until 17:30. PhD-students, Post-Docs and internship students prepare a PowerPoint presentation (max 3 slides) of maximum 5 minutes. They present the results of the previous week, problems they encountered and the plan for the upcoming week. Upload your PowerPoint presentation on the Google drive of the group account (chembio@rug.nl, F111490).
- Research talks are on Wednesday from 12:00 until 13:00 and are mandatory to attend for all group members. PhD students and Post-Docs prepare an overview of their research progress every 6 months. Check the group website and/or the Google calendar for the list of presenters and the dates.
- GBB seminars are on Thursday from 16:00 until 17:30 and are optional to attend. Check the GBB weekly schedule email for the details of the seminar presentations.
- Subgroup meeting are bi-weekly meetings between group members that work on similar research topics. The subgroup meeting schedules are organized in the Google calendar by your research manager.
- OKR meetings are three-month plan meetings to discuss research goals and measure progress. For the OKR meetings you need to prepare your OKR plan, which includes specific objectives and key results.
- R&O meetings are personal evaluation meetings. Prior to the R&O meeting you need to fill in the R&O form. After the meeting the signed R&O form needs to be send to the secretary. R&O meetings are once a year for staff members, for PhD students they are after 6 months, 9 months, 2 years and after 3 years.​
​
Supervising students
​
​- Both PhD students and Post-Docs may be asked to supervise BSc, MSc or exchange students.
- The supervisor arranges the proper administration with the student such as internship contracts, research projects, GMO certificates, starting dates, evaluation reports, etc.
- The lab technician will give the standard safety and sustainability introductions to new students.
- The supervisor is responsible for explaining common lab practices such as how to use equipment, how to perform certain experiments, how to report, analyze and manage acquired data, etc.
- The supervisor is also responsible for the safety of the student. Make sure the student follows the standard safety regulations such as wearing a lab coat, tying long hair back, etc. Ensure that the student has read and understood the safety regulations of ML-1/ML-2 lab work and has permission to work in ML-2 labs.
- Students are under no condition allowed to work in the lab if there is no other staff member present. The supervisor is expected to be present at work when the student is.
- Working hours for students are from 9.00 to 17.00 plus lunch break. Follow this time slot strictly. Exceptions for important meetings or when it is crucial to finish an experiment. After student work hours the supervisor needs to be present in the lab. After regular working hours students are not allowed!
- If the supervisor is on holiday or sick, they need to find a temporary supervisor for the students.
- An internship period is concluded by a thesis/report. The supervisor will check and approve the report before the student is allowed to send it to the research manager. A plagiarism scanner can be used to check the thesis/report. The plagiarism scanner can be found on (nestor.rug.nl).
- MSc and BSc students need to give a final presentation after the internship. The supervisor and second assessor are required to be present. Schedule the presentation in advance with both supervisors.
- The performance of the student will be discussed with the supervisor and the research manager.
- A full overview of rules and advice regarding students can be found in the Student Supervision Guide.
​
​
Conferences, courses, travel and reimbursements
- Before applying for a conference, first discuss it with your supervisor and/or research manager.
- For conference participation, register for a poster and if possible, for a talk. PhD-students should send an abstract/PowerPoint presentation or a poster to their supervisor and/or research-manager for approval.
- To print a poster send it to (rug.shop.canon.nl), login with your P-number and university password. Select the size and upload the poster (poster will be delivered to the logistic corner within two working days).
- PhD students pay for conference participation and travel expenses with their individual training budget (ITB). This ITB budget of €2200 with a nine-digit code, can also be used for courses and workshops.
- Post-Docs have a training budget of €1000 per year for personal development. This budget is not for conference participation or travel expenses. Discus use of training budget with your research manager.
- Travel expenses within the Netherlands can be reimbursed in the Shared Service portal via the claim’s portal. Public transport costs, parking costs and accommodation costs can be separately declared. For declaration you need to upload invoices, receipts or bank statements.
- For international travel you can get an advance for the expected costs above €500. The advance can be requested in the Shared Service portal via the claim’s portal. The advance needs to be approved by your research manager. After the trip, public transport costs, parking costs and accommodation costs can be separately declared. For declaration you need to upload invoices, receipts or bank statements. The difference of the reimbursement and the advance gets deducted from your salary.
- Flights need to be booked via the online tool (idp.diversitytravel.com). Air travel is only permitted if the travel distance is more than 800 km and/or when the travel time by train is longer than 9 hours.
​
​
​- With the laptop scheme staff members can get €500 reimbursed for a laptop or desktop. To participate you need a contract of at least 0.3 FTE that continues longer than 1 year. You can only apply once every 48 months. Reimbursement can be claimed in the Shared Service portal via the claim’s portal. For declaration you need to upload an invoice, bank statement and screenshot of your salary scale.
- With the home workplace scheme staff members can get reimbursed for a desk chair (€205), screen (€150), headset (€45), webcam (€35), keyboard (€25), mouse (€25) and screen glasses (€250). Reimbursement can be claimed in the Shared Service portal via the claim’s portal. For declaration you need to upload an invoice, receipt or bank statement and doctor approval for screen glasses.
- With the bicycle scheme staff members can deduct €2000 from their gross salary for a new bicycle. To participate you need a contract of at least 0.3 FTE that continues longer than 1 year. You can only apply once every 72 months. Reimbursement can be claimed in the Shared Service portal via the claim’s portal. For declaration you need to upload an invoice and bank statement.
​
​
End of your stay
- All your documents and data files produced during your stay need to be backup on the group database.
- Export electronic lab journals, created plasmid maps, google drive documents/sheets and other used (online) software files onto the group database. Google account extension can be requested at CIT.
- Make sure your lab journals are up to date. Transfer your lab journals to the lab technician.
- Make sure your DNA and GMO database is up to date. Send a copy of your databases to the lab technician.
- Clean up your fridge, freezer and ULT space. Discard samples and materials that are no longer needed. Transfer important samples that need to be kept to the lab technician. Make sure it is labeled properly.
- Clean up your lab bench and drawers. Unused consumables should be returned to the storage cabinet. Unused glassware should be placed in the white trays. Buffers, medium and chemical stocks should be discarded properly according to the waste disposal streams. Disinfect your lab bench with 70% ethanol.
- Clean up your desk and drawer and return your computer to the lab technician.
- Return the office keys and RUG-pass to the secretary.
​
​
​
RDMS data storage (group database)
- The group database is used for safe, long term data storage. Finished projects or raw data that takes up a lot of storage space can also be stored here. Don’t use this database for daily use.
- If you have many separate files, it’s better to group them into 7-Zip files (the size of the files is not important). To make 7-Zip files you can use the file manager application on your UWP.
- To access the RDMS data storage go to (research.web.rug.nl/rdmswebapp/databrowser) and login with your RUG-email and university password. For access to the group database ask the lab manager.
- Via the online RDMS data storage you can easily download files, but only upload small documents. To upload large documents or multiple documents, use the WinSCP application on your UWP.
- Open the WinSCP application and select the following settings:
o File protocol: WebDAV
o Encryption: TLS/SSL encryption
o Host name: webdav.data.rug.nl
o Port number: 443
o User name: <RUG-email address>
o Password: <university password>
- Save the settings for future use and you are ready to upload your documents.
- In the left window you can browse your local documents and in the right window you can browse the documents on the group database (if you have read and/or write permissions in this directory).
- To upload you documents to the group database, copy the files from the left window to the right window.
- Make sure your documents are properly labelled. File names should start with the date (year-month-day) and end with your initials (example: 20230215_File_name_AB).
​
Useful websites
1. mijnrugpas.rug.nl (request RUG-pass)
2. rug.topdesk.net (request network-patch)
3. rug.mycampusprint.nl (printing)
4. rug.shop.canon.nl (printing posters)
5. uwp.rug.nl (remote university work space)
6. rdmp.webhosting.rug.nl (setup RDMP)
7. myuniversity.rug.nl (university account homepage)
8. myuniversity.rug.nl/infonet/medewerkers/gezondheid-arbeidsomstandigheden/veiligheid-in-het-lab/biologischeveiligheid/permission-for-working-with-genetically-modified-organisms (GMO permission)
9. 86961.afasinsite.nl (AFAS shared service portal)
10. www.rug.nl/gai/fwncs/Account/LogOn (FSE chemsearch)
11. eu.idtdna.com (ordering primers, oligos and genes)
12. eurofinsgenomics.eu (DNA sequencing)
13. myuniversity.rug.nl/infonet/medewerkers/fse/hse/building-safety/planon-presence (report presence)
14. idp.diversitytravel.com (online flight booking tool)
15. research.web.rug.nl/rdmswebapp/databrowser (group database)
15. sm-biophysics.com (group website)
16. ktsinglemolecule.com (kt lab website)
​
Contact Info
Giovanni Maglia Professor giovanni.maglia@rug.nl
Kasia Tych Assistant Professor k.m.tych@rug.nl
Nieck van der Heide Armico/Technician nieck.van.der.heide@rug.nl
Siger Holsappel Technician s.holsappel@rug.nl
Anmara Kuitert Secretary anmara.kuitert@rug.nl
Jannet Nijhuis-Kampen Secretary j.kampen@rug.nl
Tony Kopmeiners Secretary a.c.g.kopmeiners@rug.nl
Emergency number 050 363 8050
Invoice address
University of Groningen Financial Shared Service Centre (FSSC)
Attn: Faculty of Science and Engineering
PO Box 3
9700 AA Groningen
The Netherlands
crediteuren-fssc@rug.nl
Shipping address
University of Groningen
Afd. Goederenontvangst
Nijenborgh 4
9747 AG Groningen
The Netherlands
Personal email address@rug.nl
​
Appendix
1: Netherlands Code of Conduct for Research Integrity.
2: Biological Safety Handbook by Health Safety & Environment FSE.
​
3: Guidebook for Sustainability for Labs by Green Labs FSE.
4: ChemSearch user manual.
5: Terms of Acceptance Hazardous Waste by Health Safety & Environment FSE.
6: GBB RDMP setup manual.
​