Equipment & Services

Equipment

Beckman Coulter Astrios

The Astrios was purchased in 2016. This high-speed cell sorter in a bio-safety cabinet provides a level 2 biohazard sample and personal protection. Utilizing 4 Lasers with 20 fluorescent channels, its two independent FSC detectors provide enhanced forward scatter and simultaneous sorting of small and large particles (from 0.2 microns to 30 microns). The Astrios is capable of up to 6-way sorting with temperature control and is “Jet-in-air” based for improved viability of cells. Sample can be prepared in 0.5, 1.5, 5/7, 15 and 50mL tubes and collection options include 2-way 15ml, 2-way 50ml, mixed media 15/50ml, 6-way (5ml/1.5ml), and micro-plate-slide.

BD FACS Aria Fusion

BD FACS Aria Fusion is the most recent addition to BCCHR Flow Cytometry Core. It replaces our 17-year-old BD FACS Aria. BD FACSAria Fusion has 405nm, 488nm, 561, and 640nm lasers equipped for 16 color experiments. The instrument uses Diva 6 software and is under BD’s full warranty service.

Cytoflex

This high-performance bench top flow cytometer system by Beckman Coulter was purchased in 2016 and installed with 3 lasers (405nm, 488nm, 640nm). It has the flexibility to allow 10 colour experiments and simple reconfiguration with filter swapping. It uses a 96 well HTS plate loader module accepts U, V or flat bottom plates and a semi-automatic single tube loader (1.5ml/5ml tubes) with an option for custom tubes. It can display data with 7 logs of dynamic range. The license free acquisition and analysis software (CytExpert) allows remote installation for offline set up and analysis. 

BD LSRFortessa X-20

This compact flow cytometry analyzer was a specially ordered research instrument. It was purchased in the middle of 2014 and was upgraded to feature 18 fluorescence detectors with a total of 20 parameters after the installation. It has 405nm, 488nm, 561nm and 640nm lasers. The instrument uses Diva 8 software under the manufacture's full-service warranty.

BD FACSymphony

The system is a novel cell analyzer which was a special order for us in Nov 2017. It installs 355nm UV, 405nm violet, 488nm Blue, 561nm yellow-green and 640nm red lasers which leverages the inherent benefits of flow cytometry and enables the simultaneous measurement of up to 29 different characteristics of a single cell.  This high-parameter flow cytometer is a powerful analytical tool that enables researchers to identify and analyze distinctive phenotypes in heterogeneous populations using Diva 8 software. 

SSM Table: The parameters in the 1st column are the donors. They donate into the parameters listed in the top row at different intensities as indicated by the numerical values in the table. The higher the number, the more the corresponding fluorophore in the 1st column spills into the corresponding parameter in the top row. The bottom row values are sums of the row values within each column. These sums let us compare the parameters' vulnerability to being spilled into. The last (rightmost) column values are sums of the column values within each row. These sums help us compare the fluorophores' spilling activity. For instance, we should avoid putting a highly expressed marker (like CD4) on PE-Cy5 (YG670/30) since this fluorophore spills into many different channels.

Symphony colour diagram: This diagram graphs the column sums and row sums from the SSM table, while incorporating fluorophore brightness (stain index) data to each fluorophore. The fluorophores are ranked from the brightest to the dimmest (left to right). Brightness is on the left y-axis, and SSM is on the right y-axis.

BD LSRII

The LSRII is a specially ordered system which arrived in 2009. It has been equipped with 488nm, 635nm, 532nm and 405nm lasers, and is capable of measuring 18 fluorescence colours with a total of 20 parameters. This instrument uses FACS Diva 6 software under BD’s full service warranty. 

Fluoro Elispot

This Elispot reader was purchased in 2011 and can detect highly sensitive, microplate-based assays for cytokine secreting cells. It is equipped with two-colour plates and regular ELISA spot readers using AID software. It was made by AID Autoimmun Diagnostika GMBH (Germany).

Services

Getting Started

1. BCCHR Core Technologies and Services welcomes all new users. Please ensure to register on the Calpendo Online Booking System to create a user profile.

2. First-time users must submit billing info on a secure Grant Authorization Form to core-tech@bcchr.ca. If you have any questions about this form, please speak to someone in your lab who has filled one out earlier or send your questions to core-tech@bcchr.ca.

3. Once the account is approved, a user can log in and access the resource calendars to book equipment for use with assistance from a core staff. 

4. If you wish to receive training to use the equipment unassisted, you will have to complete the full training process, which includes the following steps:

• Review and complete the Onboarding Form - Core Technologies: This form will ask you to review the links to all the necessary UBC safety training procedures and policies and safety policies for access to the BCCHR Core Technologies.  Secondly, this form will ensure that anyone interested in unassisted access to the BCCHR Core Facilities has received approval from their supervisor(s) to receive training on select equipment. We suggest you review this form with your supervisor(s) and discuss which equipment training will be of benefit to you throughout the course of your time at BCCHR so you can select the respective equipment at one time.  Once you have completed both sections of the form and it has been signed,  please send it to core-tech@bcchr.ca and the respective facility manager(s) to arrange a training session.

5. After receiving training on the equipment in the respective core, please email a completed and signed copy of the training record to core-tech@bcchr.ca and the respective facility manager. The Core Technologies team will then update the record in Calpendo, so self-serve bookings are permitted for the equipment you have been trained on.  

6. Please report any equipment failure or technical issues in Calpendo using the "Technical problem" feature integrated into the booking form. The instructions can be found here: Technical Problem Reporting Process

Policies/Documents

Emergency Contacts

Onboarding Form - Core Technologies

BCCHR Core Technologies and Services - User Expectations

Fees

Click on the button below for more information on user fees.

BCCHR Flow Cytometry Core fees