Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research
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University of Nebraska Medical Center
Home — Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research — Research Resources — Cores & Shared Resources — UNMC Cores and Shared Resources — Flow Cytometry Research Facility — Policies

Policies

Following are the policies for the facility: by using the services of the facility you agree to these policies. If a user is in violation of any of these policies we reserve the right to require re-training or refuse service. 

Core Facility Resource Grant Insert Statement 

The Flow Cytometry Research Facility is a fee-for-service flow cytometry shared resources laboratory. The overall goal of the Flow Cytometry Research Facility is to provide access to flow cytometry instrumentation, expertise, and comprehensive flow cytometry support for all UNMC investigators. The central services offered by the Flow Cytometry Research Facility are multi-parameter single cell analysis and fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Currently, the Flow Cytometry Research Facility provides access to the flow cytometry technology, a range of software, and necessary expertise to proficiently assist UNMC investigators with every aspect of their flow cytometry needs. The Flow Cytometry Research Facility currently houses and supports three high-speed cell sorters and multiple benchtop analyzers. 

The facility is staffed Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. by three well-experienced personnel. Investigators are allowed to acquire and analyze data during this time period. In addition, Flow Cytometry Research Facility users can obtain training that allows them access to Flow Cytometry Research Facility analyzers 24/7. However, cell sorting is only provided by Flow Cytometry Research Facility personnel during the indicated hours (before/after hour sorting provided upon demonstrated need). Priority for services and instrument operation is based on a reservation schedule: users who have reserved an instrument for a given time period have priority for the instrument during the time reserved. Access to the schedule to reserve instruments is without bias. Users will be billed for the reserved time, in addition to any time used after the reservation. Cancellations must be made with at least 24-hour notice prior to the start of the reservation. 

Acknowledgement Statement 

When publishing data generated in the Flow Cytometry Research Facility, with or without direct support of facility staff, it must be properly acknowledged to maintain core operations and ability to procure future grant funding for new instrumentation. Please acknowledge as below: 

The UNMC Flow Cytometry Research Facility is administrated through the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and supported by state funds from the Nebraska Research Initiative and The Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center's National Cancer Institute Cancer Support Grant (P30 CA036727). Major instrumentation has been provided by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, The University of Nebraska Foundation, the Nebraska Banker's Fund, and by the NIH-NCRR Shared Instrument Program.

In addition, please acknowledge any facility staff that supported your project in the Flow Cytometry Research Facility. 

Research Resource ID (RRID) 

RRID:SCR_017736

Data Storage 

  • Data will be stored on the facility Research Information Technology Office server for six months, for which access can be requested. 
  • After six months data will be archived to the Flow Cytometry Research Facility Box online storage account in accordance with UNMC policy. 
  • It is the responsibility of the individual operator to ensure data has been exported to the server, computers are cleaned on a regular basis and data not exported will be lost. 
  • The facility will store data in accordance with the NIH guidelines.  

Using the Facility 

  • Users must complete the Introduction to Flow Cytometry Class prior to using cell sorting and unassisted cell acquisition services. 
  • Only facility staff are to train users. 
  • Users with a reservation have priority for the instrument, but if users are not present 15 minutes after their reserved time begins the priority on the instrument is foregone. 
  • Cells must be fixed unless there is a biological reason to avoid fixation. 
  • You must disclose to facility personnel if you are using unfixed cells. 
  • All cells must be filtered immediately before acquiring samples on the flow cytometer. 
  • All experiments must have the correct instrument control samples, without the correct control samples the facility will not assist with sample acquisition.