Flow Cytometry Shared Resource Lab Overview

The ImmunoMicro Flow Cytometry Shared Resource Lab (SRL) provides state-of-the-art high parameter cell analysis and sorting services support to Anschutz Medical Campus researchers. The SRL maintains four cell analyzers and one cell sorter. In addition to providing access to a variety of instrumentation, the SRL also provides scientific expertise necessary to effectively use this technology to enhance the scope and quality of scientific research performed at the University.

The SRL:

Performs routine Quality Assurance and Quality Control for all instruments, ensuring consistent, robust performance.
Interacts with the instrument manufacturers to schedule all routine and unexpected maintenance and service requests.
Offers routine and advanced training to users for instrument use and data analysis.
Collaborates on creative solutions to scientific questions at multiple levels: designing flow cytometry experiments, implementing the experiments, and data analysis.

In some cases, lab staff can run samples for the users on the instruments.

Classical Flow Cytometer Analyzers

	BD LSRFortessa™ X-20 Special Order Research Product 5 lasers: UV (355 nm: 15 mW), Violet (405 nm: 50 mW), Blue (488 nm: 100 mW), Yellow-green (561 nm: 50 mW), and Red (640 nm: 100 mW) Instrument Configuration
	Beckman Coulter CytoFlex S 4 Lasers: Violet (405 nm: 80 mW), Blue (488 nm: 50 mW), Yellow-green (561 nm: 30 mW), and Red (638 nm: 50 mW) Instrument Configuration

Full Spectrum Flow Cytometer Analyzers

	Cytek® Aurora 5 Lasers: UV (355 nm: 20 mW), Violet (405 nm: 100 mW), Blue (488 nm: 50 mW), Yellow-Green (561 nm: 50 mW), and Red (640 nm: 80 mW) Sample acquisition from 5 ml tube or 96-well via automated plate loader
	Cytek® Northern Lights 3 lasers: Violet (405 nm: 100 mW), Blue (488 nm: 50 mW), and Red (640 nm: 80 mW) Sample acquisition from 5 ml tube or 96-well via automated plate loader

Classical Flow Cytometer Cell Sorter

BD FACSAria™ Fusion

70um, 85um, and 100um nozzle tips
4 Lasers: Violet (405 nm: 50 mW), Blue (488 nm: 50 mW), Yellow-green (561 nm: 50 mW), and Red (640 nm: 40 mW)
Multicolor analysis of up to 18 fluorescence and two scatter options simultaneously
Biosafety cabinet for sorting human cells safely (BSL-2+ or lower)
4-way and plate sorting
Instrument Configuration

The Department of Immunology and Microbiology Flow Cytometry Shared Resource Lab uses the iLab web application to streamline the process of ordering and billing for service requests.
All facility users are required to use the system.
Detailed instructions for how to set-up an iLab account can be found here.

Service	Internal Member ($/hour)	External Member ($/hour)
Analytical Flow Cytometer¹ Self-run	$75.00	$75.57
Analytical Flow Cytometer Assisted-run/Training	$165.00	$165.57
Cell Sorter Self-run	$236.00	$236.57
Cell Sorter Assisted-run/Training	$300.00	$300.57

¹All analytical flow cytometers (LSRFortessa, Aurora, Northern Lights and FACSCalibur) are considered the same service and have the same pricing.

Effective March 14, 2022

Scheduling

All reservations and cancellations must be made in the iLab portal.
During normal business hours (7am-6pm), analyzer reservations are limited to 3-hour blocks to facilitate equitable access to the instrument. After hours access is unlimited.
All analyzer reservations are charged a minimum of 30 minutes plus increments of 15 minutes thereafter.
All sorter reservations are charged a minimum of 2 hours plus increments of 15 minutes thereafter.
Researchers will be charged the greater of the two times: time reserved or time used.

Late Arrivals and No-shows

Please arrive promptly for your appointment. Late arrivals will be charged from the beginning of their scheduled appointment.
No-shows will be charged for the time scheduled.

Cancellations

Analyzer reservations during business hours (8 AM-6 PM) must be canceled >24 hours prior to the reserved time to avoid a 50% late cancellation fee.
Shifting your reservation (e.g., signed up for 1-2 PM but want to run 2-3 PM) is acceptable at no additional charge as long as there is not incursion into another user’s scheduled time.
Reservations outside of normal business hours (6 PM-8 AM) may be cancelled at any time without penalty.
Sorter reservations must be cancelled 48 hours in advance of the reserved sort time.
Those who fail to cancel their reservation and do not show up for their appointment will be charged the full rate for time reserved.

Data Transfer and Management Policy

The data generated on any instrument will remain on the acquisition computer for at least 2 weeks. Older data will be deleted.
Data generated on any instrument in the facility should be transferred by the researcher to the Flow Cytometry SRL server or OneDrive. The use of external hard drive and USB sticks is not allowed on any instrument.
The function of the SRL server is to facilitate transfer of the data. Data preservation is ultimately the responsibility of the user.

Damage to Core Instrumentation Policy

To maintain a state-of-the-art facility, it is necessary that all SRL facility users exhibit good citizenship and take care of our shared resources. Standard operating procedures must be followed, including the completion of all required training necessary for use of each machine or technology. Additionally, users should adhere to any further directions given by SRL staff.

Damage to an instrument or instrument malfunction must be reported to core staff immediately. Failure to do so may compound damage and expense. Minor damage may be covered by the core. Instruments require regular service and repair, and these costs are built into the normal rates. However, PIs will be responsible for covering significant damage to equipment resulting from user negligence.

Shared Resource Lab personnel are scientists. When they make a substantial intellectual and/or experimental contribution to a publication, they deserve to be acknowledged.

The existence of Shared Resource Labs depends in part on proper acknowledgment in publications. This is an important metric of the value of most SRLs. These acknowledgements are critical to the survival of SRLs as they are used to satisfy the requirements of federal grants. Proper acknowledgment of SRLs enables them to obtain financial and other support so that they may continue to provide their essential services in the best ways possible. It also helps SRL personnel to advance in their careers, adding to the overall health of the SRL.

SRLs should always be included in the acknowledgment section of publications which include contributions from said facilities. Such contributions could include:

Paid technical aid
Writing assistance
Financial and material support
Scientific advice
Funding sources for the SRL may require acknowledgement specifically

To help in tracking acknowledgments, we ask that you include the Research Resource Identifiers (RRID) number of the CU | AMC ImmunoMicro Flow Cytometry Shared Resource, RRID:SCR_021321.

This Shared Resource Laboratory is listed on the Association of Biomolecular Resources Facilities CoreMarketplace at the following links:

Examples of Acknowledgments

[Technique/technology] was performed by the ImmunoMicro Flow Cytometry Shared Resource Laboratory at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, which receives financial support from [sponsor name (grant number)]. RRID:SCR_021321.

We thank The University of Colorado ImmunoMicro Flow Cytometry Shared Resource Laboratory, especially [staff name], for their assistance with [technique/technology]. CU | AMC ImmunoMicro Flow Cytometry Shared Resource, RRID:SCR_021321.

Authorship

Contributions from resource scientists that involve novel resource laboratory work and insight, experimental design, or advanced data analysis that make a publication possible or significantly enhance its value require co-authorship as the appropriate acknowledgment. Each author should participate at a level that enables him/her/them to accept responsibility for the content of the manuscript.

The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors recommends that authorship be based on the following 4 criteria:

Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work beyond routine practices; AND
Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; AND
Final approval of the version to be published; AND
Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Facility Description Boilerplate Text

ImmunoMicro Flow Cytometry Shared Resource Laboratory: This facility is managed by Tinalyn Kupfer, PhD, SCYM(ASCP)CM. The SRL is located in Research Complex – 1 North and advances biomedical research by providing investigators with access to complex flow cytometry technologies and technological expertise in a cost-effective manner. The SRL supports a 5-laser (355nm, 405nm, 488nm, 561nm and 640nm) Cytek Aurora full spectrum analytical flow cytometer which allows for the measurement on 40+ fluorophores on every single cell, a 3-laser (405nm, 488nm, and 561nm) Cytek Northern Lights full spectrum analytical flow cytometer capable of interrogating 24 fluorophores simultaneously, and a BD Biosciences LSRFortessa™ X-20 analytical flow cytometer equipped with 5 lasers (UV, 405nm, 488nm, 561nm, and 640nm) and 18 parameter detectors. In addition, the SRL maintains a BD FACSAria™ Fusion cell sorter equipped with 4 lasers (405nm, 488nm, 561nm, and 640nm) and 16 parameter detectors contained in a BSL2 laminar flow hood. The cell sorter is equipped with various nozzle tip sizes (70um – 100um) and temperature control (4°C – 37°C). Trained users are provided 24-hour access on any of these instruments.

Acknowledgment Examples

Facility RRID: CU | AMC ImmunoMicro Flow Cytometry Shared Resource, RRID:SCR_021321.

Contact:

Tinalyn Kupfer, PhD, SCYM(ASCP)^CM

Manager, Flow Cytometry Shared Resource Laboratory

E-mail:
tinalyn.kupfer@cuanschutz.edu

Address:
ImmunoMicro Flow Cytometry Shared Resource Lab
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Mail Stop 8333 AMC
Research Complex 1 North | Room P18-8207
12800 E 19th Avenue,
Aurora, CO 80045

Phone: 303.724.8972

Tools & Resources

CU Campuses

CU Anschutz Medical Campus

Department of Immunology & Microbiology

School of Medicine

Flow Cytometry Shared Resource Lab Overview

Facility Description Boilerplate Text

Acknowledgment Examples

Contact:

Immunology Microbiology (SOM)

Flow Cytometry Shared Resource Lab Overview

Hours

Instruments

Scheduling

Pricing

Policy & Procedures

Acknowledgement of Scientific Work in SRLs

Grant Info/Boilerplate Texts

Contact:

Immunology Microbiology (SOM)