Core Policies

IRB approval, biosafety

Each PI is responsible for having current IRB and biosafety approvals. BSL-2 designated samples must be properly labeled and transported in an approved biosafety transport container.

New users and training

Users are encouraged to consult with the Flow Cytometry core personnel for help in designing new experiments. This consultation is free of charge.

In-house training on the FACSymphony A3 Cell Analyzer is offered to investigators that routinely run large numbers of samples. After satisfactory completion of the training, the investigator may operate the instrument at the reduced fee. Regular fees apply during training sessions. The estimated minimum training time is four hours. We do not recommend the training class unless you plan to do a substantial amount of analysis.

The FACSAria Fusion Cell Sorter is operated only by the flow cytometry facility staff.

All new users must sign the applicable user agreement form:

• User Agreement for FACSymphony A3 Cell Analyzer 
• User Agreement for FACSAria Fusion Cell Sorter 
• Flow Cytometry Sample Sheet

Flow cytometry sample preparation

Each investigator is responsible for sample preparation for both the FACSymphony A3 Analyzer and the FACSAria Fusion Cell Sorter. Please make sure that the samples are prepared as per standard requirement of the instruments. This will ensure good quality data. A poorly prepared sample runs the risk of clogging the instruments. Please contact us if you have questions regarding sample preparation.

Acknowledging the core

All publications based on work conducted in the flow cytometry core facility should acknowledge the facility as follows:

"Flow cytometry experiments were performed at the UMMC Flow Cytometry Core Facility, which is supported in part through the Mississippi Center for Clinical and Translational Research (MCCTR; 2U54GM115428), the Cardiorenal and Metabolic Diseases Research Center (CMDRC, 5P20GM104357), and the Mississippi Center of Excellence in Perinatal Research (MS-CEPR, 5P20GM121334).”

If a flow cytometry core facility staff member(s) significantly contributes or participates in a project, investigators are encouraged to consider including the individual(s) as an author(s).

Investigators are respectfully asked to submit a reprint or PDF file of papers acknowledging the flow cytometry core facility to the flow cytometry core operator.