Researchers partnering with NYU Langone’s Cytometry and Cell Sorting Laboratory agree to our laboratory policies to ensure safety and obtain optimal experimental results.

Hours and Access

Analyzers are available 24 hours a day. However, in order to access our instruments after hours, you must have previously obtained access through iLab. All access requests should be requested through iLab—CCSL, choose the Request and Training tab, initiate an access request. The Cytometry and Cell Sorting Laboratory sends all access request to security on Fridays. The request in iLab will be marked processing and when access has is granted, the request will be marked as completed.

Sorter and analyzer assistance is available between the hours of 9:30AM and 5:00PM, Monday through Friday. Off-hour sorting may be possible with the approval of the Cytometry and Cell Sorting Laboratory Director.

Data

Investigators are responsible for retrieving all data from analyzers and sorters at the conclusion of instrument use. We do not have the storage space to back up data.

Cancellations

Cancellations or modifications after the minimum notice of cancellation still incur charges: for all sorters, 18 hours; CytoFlex, and ZE5 analyzers, 12 hours; for all other analyzers, 3 hours.

Biosafety

Certain infectious or unscreened material must be run on the appropriate cytometers.

• BSL-3 (such as tuberculosis, first-generation lentivirus): Sony Synergy
• BSL-2 (such as HIV, hepatitis viruses): BD FACSAria IIu SORP or Sony SY3200

All analyzers are set up for biosafety level-1 materials only. Do not run biohazardous materials on any analyzers without first consulting with our staff.

Sorting

Concentration of samples should be 1–2 × 10⁷ cells per mL. All samples should be filtered through at least a 70 µm strainer as close to the beginning of the sort time as possible.

Minimum sorting reservation time required is governed by the number of total cells in the sample to be sorted, plus setup time.

• 70 µm nozzle at 60 psi: ~8 × 10⁷ cells sorted per hour
• 100 µm nozzle at 25 psi: ~4 × 10⁷ cells sorted per hour

If cell numbers require extra time, extra costs are imposed, assuming appointment can be extended. If no extra time is available, sort must be stopped before it is finished.

Nozzle change time of 30 minutes is billable to the user. Nozzle must be at least four times larger than the diameter of cells to sort. For example, a 20 µm cell would require the 100 µm nozzle.

Decision to sort a sample is left to the operator if proper controls are not supplied. Proper controls can include a non-stained control and proper single stain controls or fluorescence minus one controls (FMO).

Sort gates should be determined by the operator’s expertise in combination with the user’s knowledge of his or her samples and prep. If sorting gates are adjusted by users without the operator’s agreement, purity cannot be guaranteed.

Samples with extremely low viability may result in low sort yield.

Lab staff instrument assignments are determined by the lab for that day and cannot take into account the users scheduled. Please be familiar with your experiment and bring as much information about previous sorts as possible.

Analysis

Adhere to guidelines for proper use of the instruments posted in the lab, including replacement of filters to original configuration and adherence to posted cleaning protocols.

The minimum booking time is 30 minutes. The maximum booking time is three hours during peak times, from 9:30AM to 5:30PM (unassisted); 10:00AM to 5:30PM (assisted).

Please report any issues, resolved or unresolved, to the lab staff.

Staff-assisted analysis requests must be made at least 24 hours in advance.