Reopening

7/9/21 Update: Flow Cytometry Facility – Open for All Users

We are back open to all users for in person cell sorting and analysis.  Users can contact staff for badge access and to coordinate if they plan on dropping off samples.  Please use FBS for instrument scheduling.  Be advised, for assisted sorting, you are making a tentative reservation.  Facility staff will approve or decline based on staff availability to assist.

 

Flow Core Reopening under Phase 2 – ALL instruments are OPEN

Check the online scheduling calendar for future instrument availability. Also, PLEASE READ the guidelines listed below, especially those users not located in the BCC building. All users must agree to follow the guidelines before using the Flow Cytometry Facility. Non-BCC users can enter the lab but only with a staff escort.

The Flow Cytometry Facility guidelines focus on continued physical distancing to reduce personnel density and disinfection of instruments and surfaces between users. In the event of a need to return to Phase 1, staff will close all calendars, disinfect all instruments, and shutdown each instrument individually for long term storage. Facility users will be notified, and the website will be updated with the most recent information.

Instrument Availability: Current flow cytometry instrumentation is spaced appropriately to provide at least 6ft of separation between users. All current instrumentation will be available for use: Cell Sorting- ARIA #1, ARIA #2, Symphony, S3e; Cell Analysis- Attune NxT. The FBS scheduling system will allow personal density to align with either the low-density or high-density model by blocking nearby instruments when in use.

Sample drop-off and pick-up: samples outside of BCC should be dropped off and picked up at the pick-up point by the reception on the 1st floor

Staffing: Two facility staff will be available to assist in cell sorting, however only one will be onsite. Remote software access for sorting will allow one staff member to operate ARIA #1 and ARIA #2 remotely. Facility staff will be available 9am-5pm and all operations between these hours will be overseen by facility staff. Flow cytometry instrumentation may be operated outside of these hours by trained operators within BCC through booking services and observing appropriate physical distancing.

Communication: All communication between facility staff and users will take place through non-contact means (phone call/text, e-mail, zoom, etc).

Scheduling: All instrument calendars are available for scheduling to all USC researchers through FBS. The schedule will be opened a week at a time with all appointments approved by facility staff. Facility users needing assistance (ie non-trained users) must setup a zoom meeting prior to the day of the experiment to discuss their experimental details.

Other Services: Other facility services: instrument training, consultation, panel design, data analysis; will be cancelled or adjusted on a case by case basis. No in person activities will continue, only those activities that can be done remotely through non-contact means.

 

Flow Cytometry Facility User SOP Summary:

Guidelines Prior to the Day of the Experiment:

  1. Contact facility staff via e-mail (Jeff: Jeffrey.Boyd@med.usc.edu, Bernadette: Bernadette.Masinsin@med.usc.edu), phone call/text (Jeff: 206-457-9123, Bernadette: 805-501-1201), or zoom to answer any experiment related questions.
  2. Use the FBS online calendar to reserve an instrument. For Cell Sorting: ARIA #1, ARIA #2, Symphony, and BioRad S3e. For Analysis: Attune NxT.
  3. All reservations must include the following: phone number and e-mail for contact, listing of fluorochrome/s used. For cell sorting: desired nozzle size and collection device
  4. Facility staff will approve each reservation and communicate with users about changes via e-mail or phone.
  5. Users must setup a zoom meeting prior to the day of their experiment to discuss the details of their experiment, drop off and pick up.

Guidelines on Day of Experiment:

  1. All facility users must wear gloves, face masks, and appropriate PPE.
  2. Users from outside BCC will drop off their samples on the first floor (ground floor) at the Flow Cytometry drop off desk. Users will return to pick up their samples in the same location. Users without building access must contact facility staff who will meet them to pick up their sample/s while maintaining at least 6ft physical distance.
  3. Assisted facility users inside BCC will drop off their samples at the Sample Drop Off location on the second floor.
  4. Approved BBC users will enter the Flow Cytometry area following the directional path navigating BCC second floor to reach their desired instrument.
  5. Only 1 person allowed per instrument
  6. Upon entering the Flow Cytometry Facility area, staff will log each individual and their arrival time.
  7. Each user will stay in their designated space (red circle in the facility layout above) for their specific instrument.
  8. Once a user has completed their sort/analysis, a complete decontamination of the working area (instrument surfaces, surrounding lab benchtop, etc) will be done by the user following an approved decontamination procedure. A hard copy of the decontamination procedure will be available at each instrument. Facility staff will confirm the decontamination between users. Any user who fails to follow the decontamination procedure will lose their access to the Flow Cytometry Facility.
  9. Facility staff will log the departure time of each individual.
  10. *After hours usage is only performed by trained BCC users who have been approved on a case by case basis. After hours users will follow all the guidelines listed above as well as: log their usage time periods, instrument condition, and decontamination procedures.