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Cell Sorter Policies

​Download the Before You Sort Guide

Reference the "Before You Sort" PDF for all things sorting at the Flow Cytometry Core at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Reservation Timing

  • Each sort requires an extra 30 minutes: 15 minutes at the start for setup and ending 15 minutes before the scheduled end time.
  • The primary reservation contact should bring samples to M-307 to assist with setup, including reviewing cells, sorting parameters, and gating populations.


Sample Preparation

  • All samples must be capped, and collection tubes should be placed in a secondary container.
  • ​Samples should be numbered sequentially.
  • Filtration and resuspension of samples should be done immediately prior to your scheduled sort time.


Problematic Samples

  • If issues arise, core staff will contact you via the phone number provided in iLabs.
  • ​If staff cannot reach you, they will use best judgment to troubleshoot within the reserved time. Extra time will not be offered if unavailable.
    All cancellation policies remain in effect.


Late Arrival

  • Contact the core directly if you will arrive late. If staff cannot answer, leave a voice message with your expected arrival time.
  • Reservations will be canceled and charged if a researcher is more than 20 minutes late without notifying the core, unless the time is used by another researcher.


Unscheduled Maintenance

If an unexpected issue arises with an instrument, the core will notify affected researchers immediately. We appreciate your patience while maintenance is addressed. If you cannot sort or analyze your experiment at the delayed time—or on another instrument—your reservation will be canceled at no charge.


Lentivirus and Human Primary Cells

Lentiviruses are highly efficient gene delivery vectors capable of infecting non-dividing cells. Examples include HIV, SIV, and FIV. They can deliver substantial viral RNA into host cell DNA, making them one of the most effective retroviral vectors.


Sorting Requirements

  • Bring a red biohazard disposal bag at the start of your sort.
  • Dispose of the biohazard bag at the end of your sort.
  • ​All samples must be contained in closed-cap tubes (no filter caps).
    Note: Lentivirus and human primary cell samples will only be sorted if all requirements are met.

​Read the full Lentivirus Sorting protocol here.

Read the full Human Primary Sorting protocol here.

Self-Run SONY MA900 User Policies

All SONY MA900 self-run users are responsible for performing basic maintenance after their sort, including:

  • Cleaning the instrument after sort completion
  • Emptying the waste container

  • ​Powering off the instrument if you are the last user scheduled for the day

     

Important: 

If the instrument is left on overnight, the user will be billed for the time the instrument remains on until staff arrive the following morning (8:00 AM).