Terms and Conditions - analysers

Booking the MCP analysers

Bookings via Calpendo can be made at any time subject to the following training, access requirements and the MCP's receiving written confirmation from your group leader for you to access this equipment.

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 only AFTER initial official MCP training has been completed.
  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 booking 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 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 Access approval for MCP instrumentation may be withdrawn for any of the following reasons: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.

Data Management Policy

While data is archived through central IT, files can be lost or corrupted. As such, data storage is ultimately the responsibility of individual researchers.

  1. Follow MCP guidelines regarding data storage at cytometer computers and remote data access via the Cytometry Data-Mirror server as set out in our MCP Data Handling Policy document.
  2. Data obtained on MCP instruments remain the property of the researcher who acquired the data.
  3. Researchers are responsible for exporting their data to the data mirror- ensure that you allocate time for this within your booking. MCP recommend that data is checked for accurate export and archived from the Data-Mirror to your own local storage immediately following your session.
  4. Under no circumstances are MCP staff responsible for any lost data.

DIY (unassisted) analyser bookings

The minimum charged booking for analysers is 30 minutes after which users are charged in 15-minute increments. Users will be charged based on the time booked or time used, whichever is longer. The manager reserves the right to alter online bookings post-use to adjust the time used (if longer than that booked).

The Facility manager reserves the right to change booking times depending on machine and staff availability, but will endeavour to give researchers as much notice as possible. On rare occasions, MCP staff may ask users to swap or modify start times with others users to increase the efficiency of usage.

Cancellation policy

Analyser bookings may be cancelled up to 1 minute before your start time without penalty*. Analyser bookings that remain booked have not been used will still be charged.

*subject to fair use. Users who consistently place 'just in case' bookings but who consistently cancel with little notice will be warned (and supervisor notified) and may be charged if the behaviour continues. Analysers are in high demand and bookings that are made but not used prevent other researchers from planning their experiments. Unused analyser time is also financially deleterious for the Platform.

Sample Quality

All samples run through our analysers MUST be put through 35-70um mesh strainers immediately before acquisition. For difficult, clumpy samples, staff can advise on the best method of preparation. For poorly prepared or inherently clumpy samples, researchers will be charged for the time taken to clear blockages, and subject to subsequent bookings, their analyser time may be reduced.

Safety of samples

Unless performing a functional (kinetics-based) assay or using fluorophores or antigens that are adversely affected by fixation, samples that are of primary human or primate origin, infectious to humans, or are notifiable low risk dealings (NLRD) GMOs must be fixed prior to running on our analysers. These samples must reported in Calpendo using the appropriate classification at the time of booking.