SIB Labs

SIB Labs, Science – Innovation – Business, is an infrastructure and research unit operating in the Faculty of Science and Forestry in the University of Eastern Finland. SIB Labs key operations are focusing on the transfer of scientific expertise and service production related to special equipment to its customers in research, business and education. SIB Labs strives for the highest standards in quality management of its services and expertise.

SIB Labs collects and markets the top expertise and equipment infrastructure of the University of Eastern Finland. The expertise focuses on two main themes and research areas.

Imaging technology

Electron microscopy
Microspectroscopy
Spectral colour research

Material science

Material testing
Structural analysis
Biorefining: Thermal processing, and Separation / Purification / Analysis

Our operations are based on long-term basic research in the natural sciences and close cooperation with other internationally recognised research organisations. We promote the transfer of technologies in the field and serve the research needs of research units and industrial partners. Through us, you will have access to the top expertise of 200 scientists, as well as modern measurement and research equipment, all through one contact.

SIB Labs offers a professional, accessible infrastructure with competent operators. Our multi-disciplinary, constantly evolving hardware infrastructure is worth nearly 20 million euros. It consists of more than 130 research instruments with wide-ranging applications, as well as a considerable amount of specialised laboratory equipment. We have extensive experience of developing competence in the fields of photonics and materials technology and the transfer of that competence into commercial use. Our unit has laboratories and staff in both Joensuu and Kuopio, making us genuinely accessible in two university towns.

Electron microscopy facility is a part of Biocenter Kuopio, and Biocenter Finland.

20 M€

Infrastructure

130

Equipments

200

Experts and professionals

Services and competence areas

Our areas of competence are polymers and composite materials, micro and nano level surface phenomena, materials modelling and coordination, and the study of macromolecular compound structures, the application of photonics to micro and nano structures, spectrometry and spectral imaging, computational data analysis, information technology and software development for various interfaces, the study of the micro and nano level structure, composition and mechanical characteristics of biomaterials, and their interactions in various applications.

Competence areas

SIB Labs infrastructure unit operates on both campuses, Joensuu and Kuopio. The expertise focuses on two main themes - Imaging and Materials - and following research areas:

Imaging technology (Joensuu and Kuopio)
Specral color research and Applications of Photonics (Joensuu)
Electron microscopy and Microspectroscopy (Kuopio)
Material science (Kuopio)
Material testing and Structural analysis
Biorefining (Thermal processing and Separation / Purification / Analysis)

Service concepts

With our service concept we participate in the planning and implementation of service research, implement analysis services for the needs of industry and research teams, take part in projects and project launches, support basic research and the commercialization of products, and network with businesses and research institutes.

SIB Labs operations are typically based on collaboration or service studies with research groups from different fields of research, as well as with research institutes and industrial partners. The studies can be carried out in collaboration, by consultation or merely on service basis. After adequate training, researchers can independently use our equipment in their research (e.g. PhD projects).

Laboratories and infrastructure

Microscopy

Chemical analyses

Biomaterials laboratory

Colour research laboratory

X-ray tomography

Service prices and practical rules

Service price

The service price list will be published later on this site.

Research collaboration and reservations

In the case of new projects and studies, they will be evaluated by director Laura Tomppo. Thus, prior to beginning of the study, contact Laura for consulting proper methods for sample processing and instrument feasibility. Also the level of collaboration will be agreed.
Consequently, sample processing can be scheduled with our laboratory technicians or microscopy analysis with our researchers.
SIB Labs laboratories and equipment will be presented to visitors by SIB Labs personnel only. The visits should be scheduled latest the day before visit.
User guidance for equipment use is done by SIB Labs personnel, NOT the researchers from other departments. You are not allowed to operate any instrument without proper training.
SIB Labs must always be acknowledged in scientific publications for instrument use or sample processing. Examples in the following: "The authors thank Microscopy laboratory at SIB Labs, University of Eastern Finland for providing laboratory facilities (and PhD Jari Leskinen / Laura Tomppo for microscopy analysis)".OR: "The authors thank SIB Labs, University of Eastern Finland for providing laboratory facilities and Ms Virpi Miettinen / Ritva Savolainen for technical support."

Sercice costs and rules in the laboratories

Service costs

Our services (either equipment or sample processing) are always chargeable. Thus, remember to fill in the instrument Log book when operating the instruments independently. The user fees are used to maintain the instruments and cover the necessary supplies.

Special cases:

SIB Labs personnel carries out the analysis merely on service basis = equipment cost + personnel costs
SIB Labs:n personnel carries out the analysis and there will be a joint publication = equipment cost (Note! Can be applied if our project researchers are available)
Personnel costs do not apply for training, when the project will be carried out later by the researcher and is expected to last more than 10 hours of instrument time.

In the laboratories

Do not eat or drink in laboratories
Do not borrow any supplies from laboratoies without a permit. And the permit is not permanent.
Method development and special use of instruments must be agreed with the person in charge.
Suggest new instruments and methods to Laura.
Keep the laboratories and instruments clean after use.
Inform SIB Labs personnel immediately for lack of supplies or instrument failures.

Instrument reservation and use

Researchers with proper training can make reservation for the instruments online via Outlook software.

Partner facilities

We carry out research cooperation with the following departments of the UEF: Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Department of Physics and Mathematics, Department of Chemistry, School of Computing, Department of Applied Physics, School of Forest Sciences, School of Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, School of Pharmacy and Biocenter Kuopio.

Partner facilities

BioCenter Kuopio infrastructure

Quality assurance and our customers

Quality assurance

Our daily operations lay basis on services with high quality. The best guarantee for reliable results provided for the academic and/or industrial partners are high-quality research and practices.

Our quality assurance protocols are evaluated with a given schedule as defined by the university. The evaluation is carried out by auditors from the university as well as from the external organizations. Specific services can be evaluated by companies.

Our customers

Key aspects of our operations include analysis services for the industry.

Learn more about the solutions implemented for our customers like for example defining the color reproduction capability of printing inks or enhancing the color reproduction of soapstone tile images or a calibration of a spectral measurement device.

Our daily operations set basis on services with high quality.

Arto Koistinen

Director of Research Infrastructure, UEF

Education, courses and projects

The projects of SIB Labs are strongly related to the development of research methods and hardware infrastructure, applied research subjects, and the production of service research. Naturally, we co-operate actively with different projects and departments the University of Eastern Finland. A listing of our ongoing and recent projects and courses can be found on a separate page.

Education and Courses

Recent projects (SoleCris)