Proper usage and routine maintenance of the equipment are critical for optimal data collection. Although calibrations and other maintenance procedures are staff' responsibility, it is important that users properly perform the startup, shutdown, and cleaning procedures as demonstrated during the training session. Failure to comply with all procedures can result in restricted or suspended access to the equipment.
Food and drinks are forbidden in the Platform room.
Each user has a responsibility to keep him or herself and other users safe.
Use best practices when handling samples and ensure that spills are cleaned up appropriately and the space is left in good order after use.
Samples must be contained in a leak proof container and clearly labeled.
All analysers are set up for BSL-1 materials only Do not run biohazards materials on any analysers without consulting with the core staff.
No radioactive material is allowed in the Flow Cytometry Platform.
Availability: 24 hours/day, 7 days/week.
Minimum booking time: 15 minutes.
Maximum booking time: 3 hours during peak times (1pm-6pm).
Reservations: 1 month in advance.
Cancelations: 4 hours before the reservation. After this period the reservation will be billed.
It is users responsibility to turn on and turn off the cytometer.
If no one is booked within 3 hours, it is users responsibility to turn the equipment off.
During the training session, a user account will be created on FACSDiva.
Be on time for appointments and do not schedule more time than what is reasonably necessary to run samples. Run times vary depending on the experiment; however, 60-90 seconds per tube is generally a good estimate for the amount of time to schedule.
If you are the last person booked on the instrument but you won't be using the instrument for unexpected reasons (cells are dead, experiment failed, no tumor or embryo was present, etc.), you are still responsible for turning the instrument off.
Availability: 9-19h, Monday to Friday, except Holidays.
Only platform staff performs cell sorting.
Reservations: 1 month in advance.
Cancelations: 48 hours before the reservation. After 48 hours the reservation time will be billed (except if there is very strong justification)
Before your first sort, we highly recommend contacting the staff to discuss the details of your experiment. Many factors (including nozzle size, use of the ACDU, necessity of extra cleaning post-sort, etc.) can impact how much time will be required. We will advise you on how much time to reserve to ensure there is enough time to sort your sample.
Respect the time of the platform staff and other investigators by having your samples ready to go at the scheduled time.
If you will be late to your appointment, inform the staff. Sorter operators will be given other lab tasks that will have priority over your sort.
We reserve the right to restrict your access to the facility in the event of frequent last minute cancellations, late arrivals or not showing up for your appointments at all.
All data will typically be housed for one month, after that it will be deleted.
The use of USB drives to transfer data from the cytometer computers is strictly forbidden in order to minimize the possibility of viral infections.
Your data is your responsibility; we will not backup data for you.
Analyzers:
It is users responsibility to export data files via the network to their preferred network drive at the conclusion of their experiments (Google Drive) or internal server (Storage)
Sorter:
Data will be made available to the user on Internal server (Storage)
Always email reports of problems with instruments (including clogs, dirty equipment, empty PBS tank, low supplies, etc.) to Platform staff.
We will notify users when a periodic maintenance on the instrument is scheduled.
We may have to cancel your appointment if the flow cytometer is down or if the sorter operator is sick.
External Users