To begin usage please fill out our New Core Lab Access Form and the appropriate billing form available on the Documents link. External billing applies to non-member of the DHLRI and OSU. The majority of users will fill out the Internal billing form. If you have any questions regarding which billing form you should fill out do not hesitate to contact us 292-FLOW.

Those users who intend to use the equipment by themselves should attend our Flow Cytometry Training course. The Course provides essential background in flow cytometry principles, covers all our policies, and provides enough basic instrument training to help get you started. Please contact us to schedule training. You can email Bryan at bryan.mcelwain@osumc.edu

Our staff time and availability can be limited. We would like prior knowledge of what your experiment entail and the desired fluorochromes you would like to use. To set up the instrument properly you will need to bring in the appropriate controls in addition to your experimental samples. These usually include an unstained control, single-stain controls, and combination controls. Please contact us if you are not sure you have the proper controls. If you are first time user we can cover this when we discus your experimental design. WITHOUT THE PROPER CONTROLS YOUR DATA WILL NOT BE CORRECT!!

Traditionally, our staff does not analyze your samples for you. This includes transferring data to PowerPoint. If you would like assistance in data analysis or help on transferring data staff is available to assist you in doing this. Please call to set up arrangement with a staff member.

Instrument usage is charge based on reserved time and rounded to the nearest quarter hour. In addition a log of your usage is kept on the computer so it is important for you to logout when you are done performing your analysis or you will be charged for the extra time. Cancellations must be done 24 hours prior to your appointment. No-show appointments will still be charged the reserved time that was set up. Please see our Charges policy for further information.

Scheduling/Reserving Time: Scheduling for all equipment can be done on the core website. Analysis: Manager assisted analysis requires at least 48 hours notice and is pending until approved. Sorting: Manager assisted analysis requires at least 72 hours notice and is pending until approved. Manager assistance can be reserved up to one month in advance of appointment. We recommend making appointments as soon as possible, due to the large volume of investigators utilizing the facility, especially for sorting (time may be booked up to one month in advance). If you have never used the facility before, please call or email the laboratory manager to discuss experimental design and to obtain access to the facilities services.

Usage of our stand-alone analysis computer is available to all users. Please do not save your data to this computer. All files on the FACS Aria, FACS Calibur, FACS Vantage, and Apple Workstation are deleted at the end of each month. Only the templates under your file will be saved. It is not the UCASC Core’s responsibility if your data is lost. All users should bring a CD-R, CD-RW, thumb drive, or zip disk at the time of their appointment to save their files. Investigators using the UCASC must inform the UCASC personnel if samples are fixed or viable, if cells are infectious, and any other precautions regarding the cells prior to scheduling.

The UCASC will not sort or analyze cells infected with HIV unless they are fixed by an acceptable documented method that inactivates all viral particles.

The UCASC will not sort or analyze cells that are labeled with any radioactivity material.

If you have an experimental design that requires biohazard, chemical, or radioactive material then please consult with the flow cytometry operator or the director of the Analytical Cytometry Laboratory before analyzing samples on the cytometer

NEED HELP?

If you need consultation for experiments call Bryan McElwain at 292-FLOW (292-3569). We can provide you with a number of protocols, references, and other material to guide you in the right direction