Research Flow Cytometry Facility
Training and Consultation

Learn About the Training Required to Use Our Equipment

To be trained and use any of our instruments, you MUST have access to Stratocore. To create a Stratocore account, please go to this link. To add a budget number, request it under your "Profile" tab in Stratocore. You will need this account and the budget number to access the training form available under the “Request” tab in Stratocore. You will need to submit a form for each instrument you want to be trained (conventional, spectral, ImageStream, or sorting training/consultation).

When filling out that form, you will need to provide your IBC protocol number and date of expiration. You MUST have “Research Flow Cytometry Facility” selected as a core facility to be used on your IBC. If you need to sort with us, you will also need to have “Flow Cytometry Sorting of Unfixed Samples” selected under “Types of Manipulation/Experiments Planned” and provide an explanation of sorting needs.

Prior to using our cell sorting services, new users (including those isolating and/or staining the cells) need to, in this order:

  1. Take three online classes. If you have already been trained on one of our other instruments, you don’t need to retake the Laser Safety– Research Flow Cytometry Facility or the Course 1 - Introduction to Flow Cytometry.
    For Cincinnati Children's users, register for those classes (Laser Safety– Research Flow Cytometry Facility,RFCC Course 1 and RFCC Course 10) on Workday. For external users, listen to the class below and take the quiz associated.
    • Laser Safety- Research Flow Cytometry Facility
      • Send an email to Amaya Willemsen for the class and quiz. Complete the quiz and send it back to Amaya. You will need to answer at least 90% of the questions correctly to pass this course.
    • Course 1:
  2. Read the Cell Sorting Guidelines, our policies and how to estimate the needed time for a staff-operated sort.
  3. Schedule a consultation by filling out a “Cell Sorter Training/Consultation Form” under the “Request” tab in Stratocore. You will need to submit the confirmation emails if requested. During the consultation, we will determine if you need staff-operated sorts or can be trained to use the sorters. For those who would like to sort independently, experienced users can be trained on the SH800, MA900, Bigfoot (24/7 access), or on the BD sorters for regular and after-hours access. Potential trainees must be permanent employees, have good knowledge of flow cytometry, and be a regular cell sorting client.

Online Training

New users need to complete five classes prior to the hands-on training on our BD Fortessa/A5 SE instruments

  1. Laser Safety – Research Flow Cytometry Facility is a 10-minute class on safety procedures for working with lasers.
  2. Course 1 (Introduction to Flow Cytometry) is a 2-hour class covering instrument components, analysis, compensation and experimental basics.
  3. Course 2 (RFCC Policies and Procedures) is a 30-minute class.
  4. Course 3 (Overview of BD FACSDiva) is a 20-minute class.
  5. Course 4 (Running an Experiment on BD FACSDiva) is a 40-minute class.

If you have already been trained on one of our other instruments, you don’t need to take the course(s) associated with that instrument again.

For Cincinnati Children's users, register for Laser Safety – Research Flow Cytometry Facility, RFCC Course 1, RFCC Course 2 and RFCC Course 3 on Workday by going to CenterLink>Workday>Type “Laser Safety-Research Flow Cytometry Facility ” and RFCC Course 1 to 4 on Workday by going to CenterLink>Workday>Type “RFCF.

For external users, listen to the four classes below and take the quiz associated:

FlowJo is a software used for the analysis of flow cytometry data. Training on the software by our RFCF staff is offered at three separate levels depending on the needs of the user.

  • Basic conventional training includes an overview of the software, importing files, compensation, gating, using the experiment lay out and exporting statistics.
  • Basic spectral training includes the same type of information provided during the basic conventional training but will be more specific for data coming from a spectral analyzer and will also include unmixing.
  • High-parameter training includes how to configure R to use FlowJo plugins, data cleanup steps and pre-processing, creating a tSNE and using plugins such as UMAP and FlowSOM.

Online Training - Introduction to Flow Cytometry

New users need to complete the Laser Safety- Research Flow Cytometry Facility class and the Introduction to Flow Cytometry class prior to hands-on training on the ImageStream. The Introduction to Flow Cytometry is a 2-hour class covering instrument components, analysis, compensation and experimental basics. If you have already been trained on one of our other instruments, please let us know as you don’t need to take this class again. If you have already been trained on one of our other instruments, you don’t need to retake this class.

For Cincinnati Children's users, register for the course (RFCC Course 1) on Workday by going to CenterLink>Workday>Type “Laser Safety-Research Flow Cytometry Facility ”and RFCC Course 1 on Workday by going to CenterLink>Workday>Type “RFCF”.

For external users, listen to the class below and take the quiz associated

Hands-On Training

After completing the class, users must submit an “Analyzer Training Form” under the “Request” tab in Stratocore to schedule a 2-hour hands-on training session. When filling out the form, you will need to submit the email confirming passing the courses if requested.

Online Training - Introduction to Flow Cytometry

New users need to complete the Introduction to Flow Cytometry class, a 2-hour online class covering instrument components, analysis, compensation and experimental basics. If you have already been trained on one of our other instruments, please let us know as you don’t need to take this class again. If you have already been trained on one of our other instruments, you don’t need to retake this class.

For Cincinnati Children's users, register for the Introduction to Flow Cytometry class (RFCC Course 1) on Workday by going to CenterLink>Workday>Type “Laser Safety-Research Flow Cytometry Facility ”and RFCC Course 1 on Workday by going to CenterLink>Workday>Type “RFCF".

For external users, listen to the class below and take the quiz associated

Hands-On Training

After completing the class, users must submit an “Analyzer Training Form” under the “Request” tab in Stratocore to schedule a 2-hour hands-on training session. When filling out the form, you will need to submit the emails confirming passing the courses if requested. We will send you the link to a video. Please watch it and contact Celine Silva Lages to schedule a 30-minute meeting to review any questions. After that meeting, we will schedule a time for your hands-on training on the instrument.

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