Scientists at Janelia work together in multidisciplinary teams to solve challenging biological problems that are difficult to address in other research settings.

Many lab spaces at Janelia feature modular designs and natural light.

Credit: Brad Feinknopf

Occupying 689 wooded acres along the Potomac River, Janelia Farm provides a variety of services and facilities to support its diverse community of scientists and staff—inside and outside the lab.

A view of the Janelia Farm Research Campus at dusk.

Credit: Brad Feinknopf

The Janelia Farm model frees scientists of constraints commonly found in other research environments, providing access to world-class resources and a talented support staff.

Graduate scholar John Tuthill prepares a Drosophila specimen for imaging.

Credit: James Kegley

In addition to our resident scientists and fellows, we offer visiting scientists, graduate, and undergraduate candidates a range of scientific programs.

Graduate scholar Arbora Resulaj (left) and her mentor, Janelia Fellow Dmitry Rinberg (right).

Credit: James Kegley

Janelia Farm regularly hosts scientific meetings, ranging from workshops to intensive, specialized conferences. See what's coming up and visit the archive of past events.

Janelia's large auditorium seats 250 people.

Credit: Matt Staley

Janelia provides outstanding employment opportunities, at all levels.

Credit: James Kegley

Many tools developed in Janelia Farm labs are made freely available to outside researchers, while others are taking shape through collaborations with industry, academia, and government.

A virtual arena for the study of flight in insects.

Credit: James Kegley

Janelia’s sense of community comes from a core belief that people of diverse disciplines and backgrounds can accomplish great things when working with a common purpose.

Research specialist Trevor Wardill (left) and group leader Vivek Jayaraman (right).

Credit: James Kegley

Instrument Design & Fabrication

Overview

Instrument Design & Fabrication designs, builds, and tests commercially unavailable instruments, tools, and software. This talented team enables unique experimental methods and directly contributes to high-performance research.

The Instrument Design & Fabrication group listens to Janelia researchers to learn about their needs and to share ideas, and then executes an agreed-upon technical plan. They collaborate with Janelia researchers throughout the process--from concept to completion. The Facility continues to improve its design engineering and manufacturing capability to allow rapid and cost effective delivery of functional solutions.

ID&F provides services to design and build custom apparatus for Janelia researchers. In all cases, the Facility's philosophy is to collaborate closely with the research community to understand the problem to be solved. They believe that the synergy between life science and engineering will bring about next generation solutions. They support the shared use of equipment and software by all interested Janelia researchers. The Facility's services span a broad range of requirements, from the production of individual components that support a researcher's design, to complete system solutions developed in partnership with research.

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Services

Instrument Design & Fabrication members have complementary skills spanning mechanical, electrical, and optical engineering, as well as software systems design and implementation. The Facility's goal is to provide in-house solutions to assist the researcher through a complete life cycle of system development.

Some specific fields of development the team has experience with include:

Data acquisition and analysis
Machine vision and image processing
Embedded systems design and programming
Laser, microscopy, and optical imaging systems engineering
Custom circuit design
Novel sensor systems
Lab automation, robotics and motion control
Mechanical design, machined and/or fabricated components and assemblies
Process automation

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LED and Custom Driver Board
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The Instrument Design & Fabrication Facility has a complete workshop for electronics and machine vision development, data acquisition system design, and control system development, assembly, and testing. The Facility also has a metrology and optics lab, suitable for quality assessments of fabricated parts and systems development for optical microscopy.

The Facility operates a staffed central machine and fabrication shop which utilizes computer numerical control (CNC) machinery with enhanced functions, including wire electrical discharge machining (EDM) and 3D printing capabilities for rapid prototyping. The Facility also supports a satellite machine and fabrication shop that is operated by and for the researchers themselves, after they complete a short training course. This "self-service" capability speeds up many smaller tasks, for those who are comfortable working with the equipment.

Central Machine Shop

Satellite Machine Shop

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Team Members

Team Members:
Christopher Werner
Bill Biddle
Bruce Bowers
Dale Cabaniss
Brian Coop
Daniel Flickinger
Ashley Hoyt
Jeff Jordan
Magnus Karlsson
Jason Osborne
Lakshmi Ramasamy
Steven Sawtelle
Tanya Tabachnik
Samantha Watkins

Overview

Services

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Team Members