Flow Cytometry

The Flow Cytometry platform at the University of Birmingham supports flow cytometry and cell sorting across the University of Birmingham; the Technology Hub Flow Cytometry core facility is based in the Institute of Biomedical Research (IBR) in the College of Medical and Dental Sciences (MDS), the Flow Cytometry team also support instruments in the UoB Laboratories at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, the Institute of Translational Medicine and the College of Life and Environmental Sciences (LES).

The Flow Cytometry facility has undergone recent expansion with a broad portfolio of state of the art flow cytometers and the Helios (CyTOF) mass cytometer. It provides a range of services from user training on standard self-service instruments, through to a bespoke service of cell sorting. The platform has recently expanded into the delivery of GCP level service, and into mass cytometry in out dedicated GCP level laboratories within the ITM. The Flow Cytometry Unit is accessible to all current students and staff, all UK academics and commercial organisations.

Flow Cytometry Team

Dr Adriana Flores-Langarica

Advanced Flow Cytometry Specialist

Adriana joined the Flow Cytometry facility in 2018, and comes from a strong research background in immunology with experience working in national (University of Birmingham and University of Oxford) and international institutions (The Rockefeller University). Adriana was awarded her PhD in Immunology in 2005 at the National School of Biological Sciences, Mexico. Adriana has experience on a range of flow cytometers, cell sorters and the Helios (CyTOF) Mass Cytometer.

Email: A.FloresLangarica@bham.ac.uk

Dr Paola Pietroni

Advanced Flow Cytometry Specialist

Paola joined the Flow Cytometry facility in 2018. She was awarded a PhD in 1997 from the University of Camerino, Italy in collaboration with the University of Oregon, USA. She has several years of postdoctoral experience and advanced knowledge of a range of equipment including the BD FACSAria Fusion cell sorter, and the BD LSRFortessa and Accuri C6 cell analysers.

Email: P.Pietroni@bham.ac.uk

Dr Shahram Golbabapour

Mass Cytometry Specialist 

Shahram joined the Flow Cytometry facility in 2019. He was awarded a PhD in Biotechnology and Biochemistry (2015) from the University of Malaya (Malaysia), a Masters in Biotechnology, and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree (DVM). Shahram has four years postdoctoral experience and advanced knowledge of a range of flow cytometry equipment (sorter and analysis) including Beckman MoFlo Astrios EQ (sorter), BD FACS Aria (sorter), BD Celesta (analysis), BD Fortessa (analysis) the Helios (CyTOF) Mass Cytometer. 

Email:  S.Golbabapour@bham.ac.uk

Training and Support

We provide training and support for users to independently use all our available analysers. If you require training just request it in Stratocore. We deliver sessions regularly.

We also organize seminars relevant to our users. Those are advertised locally but you can also follow us in Facebook at Flowcytometry Bham for further details and news about the Flow Cytometry Platform.

For Mass Cytometry we deliver a full service where a specialist will start, QC and run your samples, so no training is required. However we work closely with Fluidigm to provide support to users from panel design, sample processing and analysis.

Online support

BD Instruction to Flow Cytometry 

Online Tools

BD Spectrum Viewer

ThermoFisher SpectraViewer

Biolegend Spectra Analyzer

BD Panel Design Tool

ThermoFisher Flow cytometry Panel Builder

CyTOF & Helios Support

Protocols

ThermoFisher Flow Cytometry Protocols

BIO-RAD Flow Cytometry Protocols

Biolegend Flow Cytometry Controls

 

Access and Booking

External users are encouraged to contact us via email in the first instance, however all internal prospective users will need to request an account on the core facilities booking system Stratocore (unless you already have one). Account requests and flow cytometry training requests may be submitted simultaneously.

New GCP level users are requested to submit a new project form through Stratocore before requesting flow cytometry training.

Equipment

Analysers

BD LSRFORTESSA X-201

The BD LSRFortessa™ X-20 cell analyser delivers high-performance multicolour analysis. The analyser has 5 lasers to detect up to 16 parameters simultaneously to support ever increasing demands in multicolour flow cytometry. The acquisition software is DIVA.

 

CYAN ADP

The CyAn ADP is a flow cytometer CYAN apdengineered for precision analysis of cells, bacteria, and other similarly sized particles. CyAn ADP utilizes three excitation lines with independent, alignment-free focusing optics, simultaneous nine parameters and two scatter parameters. The acquisition software is SUMMIT.

 

Cytoflex

CytoflexThe high-performance CytoFLEX system utilizes three excitation lines with independent, alignment-free focusing optics, simultaneous 13-parameters and two scatter parameters. It has superior sensitivity and resolution for excellent fluorescence and nanoparticle detection. The acquisition software is CytExpert.

 

Attune NxT

Attune NxTThe Attune NxT Flow Cytometer system makes flow cytometry available to both new and experienced researchers. It has 2 lasers and can detect 7 parameters and two scatter parameters.I also has available an auto sampler to acquire from 96 well plates.The acquisition software is Invitrogen Attune NxT.

 

Cell Sorter

BD FACSAria™ Fusion
The BD FACSAria Fusion flow cytometerThe BD FACSAria™ Fusion flow cytometer delivers exceptional multicolour performance. The fully integrated biosafety cabinet meets emerging operator and sample protection requirements as well as global standards for bio-protection. It has 5 lasers to detect up to 18 parameters simultaneously. It is capable of sorting samples in tubes or plates. With the capacity of 4 way sorting. The acquisition software is DIVA.

Find out more about the configurations of our equipment here.

 

Mass Cytometer

Helios™ Mass Cytometer - CyTOF®

6Helios™, a CyTOF® system, comprises the most recent advances in mass cytometry and is designed to provide a new and improved tool for bioanalytical single-cell detection and analysis. This high-performance mass cytometer, from the CyTOF family of instruments, enables the analysis of more than 40 markers and uniquely allows their quantitative determination with negligible spectral overlap, a result of exquisite resolution between mass detection channels.

Publications

  • CD103+CD11b+ mucosal classical dendritic cells initiate long-term switched antibody responses to flagellin. Flores-Langarica A, Müller Luda K, Persson EK, et al. (2017).  Mucosal Immunol. May;11(3):681-692. doi: 10.1038/mi.2017.105. Epub 2017 Dec 20.
  • Intestinal CD103+CD11b+ cDC2 Conventional Dendritic Cells Are Required for Primary CD4+ T and B Cell Responses to Soluble Flagellin. Flores-Langarica Adriana, Cook Charlotte, Müller Luda Katarzyna, et al. (2019).  Frontiers in Immunology. 9: 2409. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02409.  

Contact us

Flow Cytometry Platform

Dr Andrea Mitchell
Enabling Technologies Technical Lead and Technology Hub Manager
Telephone: +44 (0)121 414 4062
Mobile: +44 (0)7771 551995
a.m.mitchell@bham.ac.uk