Policies

If you have any questions or concerns regarding these policies, please contact flowlab@uw.edu.

General

1. All sort samples that have been genetically modified, contain recombinant DNA, have been infected, or are from human or non-human primates must have EH&S approval and a Biological Usage Authorization on file with the facility prior to sorting. See Sorting Requirements for more information.

2. All time used needs to be booked through the on-line calendar. Please provide the requested information for each entry.

3. Billing is based on reserved time or usage time, whichever is greater.

4. The next scheduled user can request that the current user log off the instrument if they are running into their time. If a user knows that they need more time, communicating this to the staff and the next scheduled user will help to accommodate everyone.

5. In the event that the user does not use all of their scheduled time, any subsequent user that uses the remaining time will be billed, not the person originally signed up. In other words, the facility will not double bill for time used on any given instrument.

6. Moving time scheduled on any instrument the same day to an open slot is permitted, please contact staff  so they can move the reservation.

7. Cancellations prior to the cut off (i.e. 24 hours from time scheduled) will not be billed.

8. Cancellations after the cut off due to unforeseen difficulties preventing the user from setting up their experiment will be charged for up to one hour. It is the users' responsibility to notify the facility if this occurs.

9. No shows will be charged for the FULL amount of time booked.

After-Hours Usage

1. After-hours sorting and analysis are permitted once the user has been trained by the CAF staff and demonstrated they can perform the proper shutdown of the instruments. Upon completion of after-hours training, users will be given key card access to the facility. 

2. After-hours sorting is charged at a discounted rate. Users that schedule time during staffed hours but show up late will still be charged at the full rate for the amount of time that was originally scheduled during staffed hours and then the after-hours rate will be applied.

Sorting

10. Sorter time is billed for the entire time booked which includes the time it takes to set up the sort. Specifying the flourochromes to be used, type of sorting required (i.e. 96 well), will make setup more efficient.

11. Users will not be charged for time to remedy a malfunction of the instrument. This does not include issues that result from intrinsic sample properties (sticky or clumpy cells) or time spent configuring the instrument for an experiment that was not communicated prior to the start of the sort.

12. Users should plan to remain with their sort. If they are unable to do so for some reason, this should be communicated when booking the sort through the on-line calendar so that the facility can determine if an operator will be available to monitor the sort. In the user's absence, please note that if operator is needed by others in the facility, the sort may be put on hold temporarily to preserve its integrity in their absence.