Doherty Institute Flow Cytometry Facility

Welcome

Welcome to the Doherty Institute Flow Cytometry Facility.

Our facility provides all researchers with a world class flow cytometry resource. Equipped with the latest high-end flow cytometric technology we provide a high quality cell sorting and cell analysis service for The University of Melbourne and broader scientific community in and around Melbourne.

Our facility offers services catering for both animal and human cell sorting in a PC2 environment, as well as catering for infectious sample sorting (e.g. HIV, HepC) in a dedicated PC3 environment.

The facility currently houses three high speed cell sorters and nine analysers.

Acknowledgement of the Facility in publications

Core facilities and facility staff rely on acknowledgement in research publications. Acknowledgement is a measurement of relevance and importance of the technology/ facility to the completion of your research and is directly linked to funding of the facilities for instrument upgrades, new technology investment and research support staff.

Please acknowledge the Melbourne Cytometry Platform (Doherty Institute node) in your publications if you make use of any of the equipment in this facility. If appropriate, please also acknowledge, or include in authorship to specific facility staff for assistance during your experimental design process.

Staff

Vanta Jameson

• Angela Hind

  Flow Cytometry Operator

• 
  Catherine Li

  Flow Cytometry Operator

• 

• Lankesha Yapa

  Flow Cytometry Operator

Bookings and Training

Once training is complete access will be granted to book instruments.

We also assist with panel design and data analysis/interpretation.

Click the following link to register for access to the facility:

https://cytometry-um.calpendo.com/#calendar

Booking Policy

Cell sorter bookings via the online booking system, Calpendo, must be made at least 24 hours in advance of required service. For bookings with less than 24 hours notice, please contact the manager to check availability.

Users can cancel their bookings without penalty via the online booking system up to 48 hours before their sort.

Cancellations with between 24-48 hours notice will be charged 50% of the booked time, minimum of 1 hour. Cancellations with less than 24 hours notice, and no-shows will be charged in full.

Minimum booking is 1 hour after which users will be charged in 30-minute increments.

All cells for sorting must be sieved through mesh, preferably 40 µm, prior to sorting.

Charging starts from the time booked, so it is in your interest to arrive on time.

For the full booking and conditions policy click here.

Data analysis

The Melbourne Cytometry Platform offers FlowJo 10, FCS Express and OMIQ site licences for University staff and students, as well as our affiliate organisations and institutes.

• FlowJo License: Please view our Knowledge Article for licensing details and fill out a Software Installation form if you are interested in purchasing a license.
• FCS Express License: Please contact Vanta Jameson for license details and registration instructions
• OMIQ: Please contact Alexis Gonzalez

Cytometry Links

• Australasian Flow Cytometry Group
• BD Biosciences
• International Society for Advancement of Cytology
• Purdue University Cytometry Laboratories
• ThermoFisher Fluorescence Tutorials
• Cytek Biosciences

Hours of Operation: Available to licensed users 24 hours 7 days a week

Cytek Aurora Spectral Cytometer

The Cytek Aurora is equipped with five lasers – UV (355nm), violet (405nm) blue (488nm), yellow (561nm) and red (640nm), three scattering channels, and up to 64 fluorescence detectors. Spectral traces of each fluorochrome are recorded and then unmixed in a highly multicolor experiment. As a result of this approach, combinations of fluorochromes that previously were incompatible to run together by conventional flow cytometric methods are now possible with this technology. As long as a fluorochrome’s spectral fingerprint is distinct from another they can be unmixed. This enables panel design of >36 colours possible.

Cytek Aurora

Lasers: 5 (355nm, 405nm, 488nm, 561nm and 640nm)
Fluorescent Detectors: 64 Channels
Tubes: Polystyrene
Software: Spectroflo

For information on common fluorochromes used on the Aurora click here.