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.
Contact us for assistance in anything Flow Cytometry!
Location: Room 8042/43, Level 8
The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity
The University of Melbourne
792 Elizabeth St
Melbourne Vic 3000, Australia
Facility email: micro-flowlab@unimelb.edu.au
Lab phone: (03) 8344 9937
Facility Manager: Dr Vanta Jameson
Email: vanta.jameson@unimelb.edu.au
Cytometry Operators
- Angela Hind, angela.hind@unimelb.edu.au
- Catherine Li, wai.li@unimelb.edu.au
- Lankesha Yapa, lankesha.yapa@unimelb.edu.au
Melbourne Cytometry platform manager
Dr Alexis Gonzalez, alexis.gonzalez@unimelb.edu.au
Staff
Vanta Jameson
- Angela Hind
Flow Cytometry Operator
- Catherine Li
Flow Cytometry Operator
- Lankesha Yapa
Flow Cytometry Operator
Doherty Institute Flow Cytometry Facility Prices
Instrument/Service | Department of Microbiology and Immunology | Other Academic | Commercial |
---|---|---|---|
Cytek Aurora 5 Lasar | $50 | $55 | Contact manager |
FACS Canto II analyser | $50 | $55 | Contact manager |
LSR II analyser | $50 | $55 | Contact manager |
LSR Fortessa analysers | $50 | $55 | Contact manager |
Assisted cell sorting | $100 | $118 | Contact manager |
Unassisted cell sorting | $50 | N/A | N/A |
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.
Hours of Operation: Available to licensed users 24 hours 7 days a week
BD LSR Fortessa
The LSR Fortessa’s are equipped with four and five laser lines and are capable of detecting 18 parameters; 2 scatter and 16 fluorescent detectors. Check each instrument for the configuration and the facility staff are happy to advise on fluorochrome combination feasibility and necessary controls.

LSR Fortessa 1
Lasers: 4 (405nm,488nm, 561nm and 633nm)
PMT Detectors: 18 Fluorescent Channels
Tubes: Polystyrene
Software: FACSDiva
High Throughput Sampler (HTS) 96 well plates
Fast Analysis Rates >20,000 events per second

LSR Fortessa 2, 3 and 4
Lasers: 5 (355nm,405nm,488nm, 561nm and 633nm)
PMT Detectors: 18 Fluorescent Channels
Tubes: Polystyrene
Software: FACSDiva
High Throughput Sampler (HTS) 96 well plates
Fast Analysis Rates >20,000 events per second

LSR II
Lasers: 3 (405nm, 488nm, and 633nm)
PMT Detectors: 13 Fluorescent Channels
Tubes: Polystyrene
Software: FACSDiva
Fast Analysis Rates >20,000 events per second

FACS Canto II a
Lasers: 2 (488nm and 633nm)
PMT Detectors: 7 Fluorescent Channels
Tubes: Polystyrene
Software: FACSDiva
Analysis Rate: max 10,000 events per second

FACS Canto II b
Lasers: 3 (405nm,488nm and 633nm)
PMT Detectors: 8 Fluorescent Channels
Tubes: Polystyrene
Software: FACSDiva
High Throughput Sampler (HTS)
Analysis Rate: max 10,000 events per second
Hours of Operation: Staff-assisted sorting Monday 12:30-5, Tuesday-Friday 10-5. Available to licensed users 24 hours 7 days a week.

FACS Aria III
Lasers: 5 (355nm, 405nm, 488nm, 561nm and 633nm)
PMT Detectors: 18 Fluorescent Channels
Sample Tubes: 5ml,15ml or microtubes
Collection Tubes: 5, 15 and 50ml
Plates: 6, 12, 24, 96 and 384 well
Slides
Collect up to 4 populations
Sterile Sorting
Nozzles/Pressure: 70um / 70psi and 100um / 20psi
Speeds: 70um – 20,000 evts/sec and 100um – 6,000 evts/sec
Cooling system
Sheath: PBS
CytoFLEX SRT (within a biosafety cabinet)

PC3 FACSARIA Fusion (within a Biosafety Class II Cabinet)
Lasers: 4 (405nm, 488nm, 561nm, 640nm)
PMT Detectors: 16 Fluorescent Channels
Sample Tubes: 5ml,15ml or microtubes
Collection Tubes: 5, 15 and 50ml
Plates: 6, 12, 24, 96 and 384 well
Slides
Collect up to 4 populations
Sterile Sorting
Nozzles/Pressure: 70um / 70psi and 100um / 20psi
Speeds: 70um – 20,000 evts/sec and 100um – 6,000 evts/sec
Cooling system
Sheath: PBS