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 two online classes. If you have already been trained on one of our other instruments, you don’t need to retake the Course 1 - Introduction to Flow Cytometry.
    For Cincinnati Children's users, register for those classes (RFCC Course 1 and RFCC Course 10) on ELM by going to CenterLink>MyHub>MyLearning. You will receive a confirmation email from ELM for completing the courses. For external users, listen to the class below and take the quiz associated.
  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 four classes prior to the hands-on training on our BD FACSCanto and / or Fortessa.

  1. Course 1 (Introduction to Flow Cytometry) is a 2-hour class covering instrument components, analysis, compensation and experimental basics.
  2. Course 2 (RFCC Policies and Procedures) is a 30-minute class.
  3. Course 3 (Overview of BD FACSDiva) is a 20-minute class.
  4. 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 RFCC Course 1, RFCC Course 2 and RFCC Course 3 on ELM by going to CenterLink>MyHub>MyLearning. When completed, you will receive a confirmation email from ELM for each course. For Course 4, process as external users.

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

Hands-On Training

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

The hands-on training is two hours for the first instrument. If you want to be trained on BD FACSCanto and Fortessa, a 30-minutes extra training will be needed for the second instrument.

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 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 ELM by going to CenterLink>MyHub>MyLearning. When completed, you will received a confirmation email from ELM for the class.

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 ELM by going to CenterLink>MyHub>MyLearning. When completed, you will received a confirmation email from ELM for the class.

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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