Policies

In any shared resource facility, you will find policies in place to ensure fair access to equipment. It is a best practice to plan your experimentation in advance, be thoughtful in the handling of instrumentation, and be respectful to all staff and fellow facility users.

1. Use of the sorting facility is by appointment only. It is important that experiments are planned carefully. This includes confirming that the fluorescent labels and their combinations can be analyzed on the instrumentation we have available in the Core facility. If you have never used the Core facility, or before you are planning a novel experiment, please contact Michael Gregory (mikeg@caltech.edu). She will be able to consult with you on experimental design and the availability of equipment and discuss the potential of the cytometric experiments with you. All consultations will be conducted remotely via Zoom.
   
2. A Biosafety Questionnaire must be filled out and approved prior to any performing any experiments or using any equipment in the facility. This is for your safety, operator safety, and compliance with institute policies. This form is available HERE. If your experiment changes, you will need to fill out a new biosafety form.
   
3. Good communication with the cell sorter operator is essential for the success of your experiments. When making an appointment please discuss the specific details of your experiment so an accurate estimate can be made as to how long the sort or sample acquisition will take. Cell counts will help us estimate the amount of time needed for your sort. Be aware that certain assumptions about cell subset percentages and enrichments may not be optimal the first time that you attempt a cell sorting experiment. A best practice is to reach out to schedule experiments 2 weeks in advance. We may be able to offer availability sooner, but planning in advance is best.
   
4. If you have to cancel your sorting appointment less than 48 hours in advance, you will be charged for 3 hours' time.
   
5. Please be punctual. If you are late for an appointment you will be charged for all late time. To avoid charges, notify the facility of planned changes in the scope of an experiment as soon as possible. Please also feel free to let your operator know if you are running a few minutes behind schedule.
   
6. Your sort data will be uploaded to the Flow Cytometry Facility Sharepoint site. After your sort, you will need to request access to the Sharepoint via IMSS at help.caltech.edu. Click HERE to see what the request should look like when you submit it through IMSS.
   
7. We will reserve time for you on the instrument according to the number of cells you plan on bringing and the complexity of the experiment. If you bring more cells than what was initially agreed upon, we may not be able to finish going through the full amount in a single appointment.