Terms of Access

Terms and Conditions of Use

Researchers (staff, students of the University of Melbourne or affiliated research institutes) who wish to access MCP resources must first contact a node manager or the platform manager directly or via our general email address melbourne-cytometry@unimelb.edu.au.

Accessing Local nodes

The Melbourne Cytometry Platform (MCP) has 29 cytometry instruments distributed across 4 buildings (nodes) at the University of Melbourne. Local OH&S, OGTR and building access requirements must be completed, and instrument compentency demonstrated before swipe card and after-hours independent access is granted into each node.

Instruments may be accessed before induction, training and competency tests, only if researchers are directly accompanied and assisted by dedicated platform staff, such as for staff-assisted cell sorting.  Since access in these cases is pending of staff availability, please contact local staff to arrange an appropriate time for your session.

Cost Recovery

Cytometry costs are  recovered by charging hourly rates depending on the type and level of service. Costs can be found in our Terms and Conditions and are updated annually.

Instrument Training
  1. Initial training and inductions (including safety) on MCP instruments will be provided by MCP staff.  Experienced users may provide experiment-specific training to their students or novice cytometer users only AFTER initial official MCP training has been completed by the new users.
  2. Researchers will be provided with flow cytometry training documentation including theory and safety information. Researchers are required to complete theory and safety competency assessments before they undergo a face-to-face training session.
  3. Face-to-Face training usually consists of a 2-2.5-hour hands-on induction (depending on previous cytometry experience) and follow-up, node-specific competency testing.
  4. MCP staff retain the right to require researchers to undergo further training if deemed necessary. For instance, after an extended period of inactivity, when incorrect usage is observed, etc...
Facility Access and Equipment Usage
  1. Each node has its own local rules regarding access and after hours use. Please refer to the training files provided.
  2. Researchers must abide by local OH&S rules. Refer to the relevant instrument-specific training files and SOPs.
  3. Access cards must never be handed on to a third party.
  4. All bookings must be recorded via the MCP booking system, Calpendo: https://cytometry-um.calpendo.com/
  5. Problems with instrument operation must be reported immediately to local laboratory managers or staff and reflected in Calpendo via the issue report field (see Calpendo User guide).
  6. Any damage to MCP instrumentation resulting from misuse, neglect or operator error will be charged back to the research group to which the researcher belongs;
  7. Access approval for MCP instrumentation may be withdrawn for any of the following reasons:
    1. Serious neglect, damage or inappropriate use of equipment.
    2. Neglect of safety procedures, including non-adherence of PPE and breaches of OGTR and biosafety requirements.
    3. Allowing unauthorised persons access to the facility or other behaviour deemed to be inappropriate.
    4. Unauthorised use of external USB drives for direct data collection from cytometer computers.
    5. Use of instruments without previous training and demonstration of competency;
    6. Operating instruments without booking via Calpendo.
Publication/ Authorship Policy
  1. The MCP must be acknowledged in all research output that has been made possible from data generated on MCP instruments. This includes papers, thesis, seminars, conference presentations & posters. For guidence, please click on this link
  2. Platform staff can support your research on a collaborative basis. Any publications that include data produced via mutually agreed collaborations should include the relevant MCP staff as a co-author.
  3. Platform staff should be considered for co-authorship if they have contributed significant technical, scientific or intellectual input to a study.
  4. Researchers MUST notify the platform of any research output (e.g. publications, presentations & posters) that arise from use of MCP instruments.