Flow Cytometry and Cell Sorting Facility

About

The Flow Cytometry and Cell Sorting Facility within the School of Life Sciences provides the following services: 

Training and support in the use of the flow cytometer analysers 

We provide instrumentation and high-quality training for researchers who wish to use flow cytometric technology in their research. We also provide on-going technical support and advice in experimental design and data analysis. 

Fluorescence activated cell sorting

Cell sorting applications are performed by expert facility staff to ensure accurate and efficient delivery of output. Staff are also able to provide protocols for sample preparation and advise on sort design for a range of different cell types, including procaryotes, yeast, protozoa and mammalian cell systems.  

The Facility also houses a Chromium Controller single cell partitioning and barcoding device from 10X Genomics. Training and advice on its use is provided by Facility staff.  

Equipment 

Flow cytometers (analysers)

LSR Fortessa (Becton Dickinson): is a custom specification, high end digital instrument equipped with five laser light sources; 488nm, 640nm, 355nm, 405nm and 561nm. Up to 19 colours can be detected at any one time.  

FACS Canto (Becton Dickinson): has three excitation laser light sources; 405nm, 488nm and a 633nm. From these light sources, up to eight colours can be detected at one time. 

Novocyte (Acea Biosciences): has three laser excitation sources: 405nm, 488nm and 640nm and is able to detect 13 fluorescence parameters. It has the additional advantage that the optical filters can be changed to allow optimisation of detection of non-standard fluorochromes. The Novocyte uses a calibrated syringe pump for sample uptake, which allows accurate counting of cells while performing analyses. It also has a universal loader which enables automated sample uptake from different vessels, including racked tubes and 96 well plates. 

Cell sorter 

The MA900 (Sony Biosciences) is the latest addition to our instrument portfolio. It is equipped with four laser excitation sources: 488nm, 405nm, 640nm and 561nm. The MA900 is able to detect up to 12 fluorescent parameters, and the changeable optical filters allows for optimisation for the detection of all fluorochromes. The sorter is housed in a class 2 biosafety cabinet, enabling us to process biohazardous material, such as primary human tissue and cells transfected with non-replicating human viruses. Up to four different populations can be collected at any one time and cells can be deposited into a variety of different vessels, including 384-well and 96-well plates for single cell cloning. Temperature controlled sample and collection chambers preserve sample quality. 

Chromium Controller 

The Chromium Controller is a single cell partitioning and barcoding device from 10X Genomics. In tandem with the relevant reagent kits, it can be used to measure mRNA, surface protein expression, antigen specificity, CRISPR perturbations, and much more, at a single cell level in heterogeneous populations. 

Supporting your research

If you are internal to the University, you can find out more details, including booking information and pricing, on our internal SharePoint site.

If you are an external client and you’d like to find out more about how we can support your research, please get in touch to discuss your project further.

All work with external clients is undertaken in accordance with our standard Terms & Conditions.