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SCIF Cytometry Courses

SCIF Cytometry offers 2 optional courses to expand on our basic instrument training. Both are intensive 2-day courses. There is a recharge cost to cover instrument time and reagents. To register, email David by Jan 3rd (dgravano@ucmerced.edu).

Flow Cytometry: Expanding your skills - $60 per person

Dates: Jan 9-10; 9AM-3PM each day with 1 hour lunch break

About the course: This course is designed for researchers who are currently using or will be using flow cytometry regularly as part of their research projects. The course will cover theory and practical applications of flow and even regular flow users will find it valuable to improve their experimental design, acquisition, and analysis techniques. We will prepare and analyze both cultured cell lines and primary cells. The course will include the following exercises:

  • Best practices for experiment setup and sample acquisition on the LSR and ZE5, including pros and cons of each instrument
  • Staining protocols in 96 well plates and tubes
  • Primary cell isolation and 5-color stain with controls
  • Compensation with both cell and beads
  • Cell cycle analysis and a common cell viability assay with the cultured cells
  • Data analysis using FlowJo software, including basic gating, grouping samples, batch processing, and making excel output tables

Course Pre-requisites: Must have completed the BD eCourse on flow cytometry. Participants must understand basic theory of antibody staining.

 

FACS Aria Advanced Sorting - $80 per person

Dates: TBD; 9AM-3PM (day 1) and 9AM-12PM (day 2)

About the course: This course is designed for users who already have a good understanding of cytometry, but want to be able to improve their understanding of cell sorting techniques and use the sorters fully independently (eg. weekend and after hours). The course will include the following exercises:

  • Instrument components 
  • Instrument setup, QC, and troubleshooting
  • Theory and protocols for sorting to optimize yield, purity, and viability.
  • Strategies for increasing sort speeds, sorting of rare cell populations, single cell sorting, and index sorting
  • BSL-2 compliant sorting with the aerosol management system. 

Course Pre-requisites: Attendees will be required to have completed basic SCIF cytometry training and used the Aria sorters in the past for their research with or without operator assistance.