General Lab Logistics

Lab Communication

The main channel for lab communication is the Fordyce Lab Slack. The slack account can be found at www.fordycelab.slack.com and can be joined with your Stanford email. After you log in, channels relevant to your project can be joined by navigating the left-hand channels panel. 

There is additionally a Fordyce Lab email list (fordycelab@lists.stanford.edu) for important messages after you join the lab. If you are having errors posting to the list, ask Kara, Polly or Lauren, which administer the list. 

SERVER and DATA Storage

All data, presentations, and general lab information should be stored on the lab server, which can be accessed by SMB or CIFS protocols. To connect from a Windows computer, under Network Settings add a server. When prompted while on Stanford wifi or ethernet, add FordyceServer. For a Mac, under Finder, find the Go  tab and hit Connect to Server. Use smb://FordyceServer to connect. When connected the server will prompt for login details. Each member should have their own log in name and password. For access, ask Kara or Tyler. 

The general login is fordyce with the password Eu:YVO4. This should only be used to troubleshoot or admin the server. 

The server is a NAS 16TB Windows Server which is administrated by Kara and Tyler. Contact kbrower@stanford.edu for more information. 

Some policies regarding the Server. 

• ALL presentations must be uploaded after you give a group or subgroup meeting to General > Presentations. This is important to do. Do it. 
• All completed protocols and general use white papers should be uploaded to General > Protocols. This is good to get new members up and running quickly. 
• Data is stored under the Data Storage folder by Imaging Setup. You can also store data, code and other items under User Storage. 
• Your Digital Notebook must be backed up under General > Digital Notebook Storage periodically. This is very important for keeping with NIH and NSF guidelines. 
• All designs (AutoCad, SolidWorks, etc.) should be uploaded under General > SolidWorksFiles. This is good to keep everyone on the same page and share openly designs that could help multiple generations of lab members. 

The server does not have RAID redundancy. You must back up your data from the server periodically. 5 TB external hard drives are given to each member and can be used for data and personal backup, but you must complete the back up. 

Everyone has read-write capabilities to the server so be very careful and considerate when removing files. 

Software Repositories

The lab maintains a GitHub account with multiple repositories both private and public for projects, including microfluidic instrumentation automation, imaging analysis, data analysis and other needs. The Github organization is fordycelab and you can find it under the public Github index. You can join the organization with approval from either Polly or Tyler. 

DIGITAL Notebooks

You are required to maintain a digitally-backed up lab notebook that is accessible to all members of your team. 

There are 3 options: 

• Quiver can be used but must be backed up to the Lab organization Github. 
• Benchling is a free, academic lab note booking software. If you choose to work on Benchling, associate and share all your pages with the Polly Fordyce Lab (pollyfordycelab) organization for our lab. 
• NeoScribe or other Smart pens can be used with special lab notebooks purchased by the lab. These notes must additionally be backed up to the Server or Github so other members can access your work and continue your projects after you leave the lab. 

Remember, notebooks are required by the NIH and NSF during your academic career. They are also important for patenting and IP considerations as well as claiming ownership of your work as your career progresses.