June 3, 2026
An Update on the Plant Sciences Stable Isotope Facility
Dear Faculty, Staff, Students, and Supporters,
After a lengthy review process and careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to sunset the Stable Isotope Facility (SIF) in its current form, effective July 26, 2026.
The Department of Plant Sciences continues to face hard decisions surrounding funding allocation given the campus-wide request to reduce budgets. Over the past several years SIF has been operating with a significant and growing deficit and, despite extensive efforts over the last several months to find a solution that would allow the facility to continue to provide services to the research community, we have not found a model that is financially sustainable.
I want to thank SIF’s staff for their excellent work and dedication these past 25 years, and everyone who has played a role in supporting this facility.
We are committed to doing our best to support the researchers who rely on the facility during this transition, and will be in touch with individual clients about details of specific plans for handling existing orders over the next several weeks.
Sincerely,
Daniel Potter
Professor and Chair, Department of Plant Sciences
University of California, Davis
Dear Valued Client,
After a lengthy review process and careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to sunset the Stable Isotope Facility (SIF) in its current form, effective July 26, 2026.
The Department of Plant Sciences continues to face hard decisions surrounding funding allocation given the campus-wide request to reduce budgets. Over the past several years, SIF has been operating with a significant and growing deficit and, despite extensive efforts over the last several months to find a solution that would allow the facility to continue to provide services to the research community, we have not found a model that is financially sustainable.
We regret to inform you that SIF staff will be unable to process your submitted samples before the facility's closure date. As a result, we would like to offer the option of returning your samples. If you would like your samples returned, please submit the request via return form on the SIF website. If you do not wish to have the samples returned, please notify us, and we will arrange for their appropriate disposal in accordance with established protocols.
We sincerely appreciate your support of the Stable Isotope Facility and the opportunity to have served your research needs.
Sincerely,
Daniel Potter
Professor and Chair, Department of Plant Sciences
University of California, Davis
| Analysis | Turnaround Time for Data (weeks) | 2024 Price per Sample (US$) | 2025 Price per Sample (US$) |
| n-Alkanes | contact us | $120.00 | $145.50 |
| Other Compound Specific Analyses (price is per isotope) | contact us | $180.00 | $300.50 |
*Samples requiring concentration or dilution duplicates will be charged as additional samples.
