• In the clinical complex UK Aachen, level 5, floor 01, room 01, accessible via elevator B1.
• To get access to floor 01, you need to get your service ID card activated. FCF will activate your card after device instruction.
• If you do not yet have access, please use the bell.

Users have to pay for the service of cell analysis and cell sorting.

The fee depends on the user group:

• Group I – Internal users:
  Members of medical faculty and RWTH Aachen University
• Group II – External users:
  ​Scientists of other non-profit research institutes

Exact prices and a price list can be requested at FCF.

FCF services are invoiced collectively to users.

Internal service charges and external invoices are usually prepared and sent out every six months. Services provided in the 2nd half of the year may not be invoiced until mid-March of the following year.

To ensure the Invoicing, each user is obliged to fill in an order form ("Auftragsformluar") and have it signed by the supervisor/project leader. The order form must be signed by the responsible person to whom the invoice should be addressed and has to contain the correct address to ensure that the bill can be sent without problems.

The prices for using the equipment depend on the type of equipment and the duration of the measurement period. The calculation is based on the reserved measurement time, or the actual measurement time required if this exceeds the reserved measurement time.

The prices for use of FCF devices depend on the duration of the measuring time. The calculation is based on the reserved measuring time or the actually required measuring time, in case this exceeds the reserved measuring time.

If funds planned for FCF services are no longer available at a later time (e.g. due to the completion of the project, annuality of the approved funds), the Core Facility Management should be contacted at an early stage in order to agree on an advance payment.

You will receive an internal cost allocation from us by e-mail or internal mail. Please sign this as factually correct (“sachlich richtig”) and indicate from which internal order (“Kostenstelle”) the amount is to be paid.

Finally, you submit the internal cost allocation to Stefanie Kessel in the Financial Management Division.

• In FACS analyses, several fluorescent dyes are usually used simultaneously. Signals of the individual dyes are measured by different detectors.
•  
• Unfortunately, most fluorescent dyes do not emit strictly one wavelength, but a whole spectrum. Thus, the fluorescence signal of one dye not only reaches the channel or detector provided for this dye, but also causes a (albeit weaker) impulse in other channels. This impairs the evaluation of the results, since in multicolor analyses it cannot be known which dye caused the detector signal.
• However, since simple experiments allow to determine how strongly one dye scatters into another channel, this problem can be corrected mathematically. This process is referred to as "compensation".

The following samples are required for successful compensation:

• Negative control: cells/beads to be analyzed without any dyes
• Single stainings: For each dye/antibody a single color staining must be provided. This should contain both, cells positive and negative for that dye

The service time of FCF is usually weekdays from 9am to 5pm. During this time the laboratory is open and accessible to everyone, who has been activated for corridor 01.

If you have not yet been activated, please use the bell.

To access corridor 01, you need to have your service ID card activated. You will receive this after the instruction. If you have not yet been instructed, please use the bell.

The FCF laboratory is open during regular service hours. After this service time, in addition to the activation of corridor 01, you will need the PIN for the safe, which contains the laboratory key.

Reliable users who are able to work independently on the FACS Canto or Cytek Aurora can get access to the lab at any time

In the corridor next to the laboratory door is a safe installed, which contains a lab key. The required pin code can be obtained from FCF.

All samples have to be filtered before measurement to remove any cell aggregates that may have formed to prevent clogging of the instruments!

For filtration cell filters with pore sizes of 35 to 70µm should be used (for example Falcon Tube, 35µm Cell Strainer (Art. Nr.352235)).

When filtering cells, the cell size must be taken into account! Cells larger than 70µm have to be filtered with 100µm filters.

Except of sterile cell sorts there is no need to use sterifilters.

• Please contact FCF staff and ask for an appointment for an instruction.
• Please read the user regulations.
• You will receive an order form from FCF that has to be signed by your supervisor (that person to whom the invoices will be sent).
• Bring the signed user regulations and the completed order form with you for the instruction!
• Once all documents are complete and the instruction is done, you will receive access to the laboratory, booking calendar and your own account in the device software, which will allow you to use FACS Canto independently.

• Please contact FCF staff and ask for an appointment for the instruction.

• 5 ml FACS tubes (e.g. Art. Nr. 55.1579, Sarstedt)
• Staining Buffer (e.g. PBS/3% FCS)
• Unstained sample (to serve as a negative control)
• Stained sample(s)
• If compensation is required: a probe (cells or beads) that is only stained with one respective fluorochrome.  Such probe is required for each fluorochrome used in the multicolour staining. The probe should contain both, cells/beads positive and negative for this fluorochrome.
• Cell filter with a pore size of appr. 40µm
  (depending on the size of cells/beads in your sample; for example cell filter with attached tube, Falcon, Art. Nr. 352235)

• Measurement times for cell analysis on our BD FACS Canto must be reserved independently by adding them in the corresponding Outlook calendar. This is only possible for internal users.
• Each user may only manage his/her own measurement times and may not change or delete those of others.
• External users and RWTH students can only read this calendar and must book appointments by phone +49 241 80 37654 or by e-mail to FCF@ukaachen.de via the FCF.
• Please reserve only the amount of time you really need and arrive on time for your measurements.

• We kindly ask you to delete reserved dates that you cannot use from the calendar. This gives other users the chance to hop in.
• For external users, an appointment can be cancelled by e-mail or phone call (+49 241 80 37654).
• If agreed deadlines cannot be met, the user can cancel the appointment free of charge within two days before the measurement. Otherwise, cancellation costs will be charged according to the reserved measurement time. 
• If agreed appointments cannot be kept, the user can cancel the appointment free of charge within two days before the measurement. Otherwise, cancellation costs will be charged according to the reserved measurement time. 

• Please contact FCF staff and ask for an appointment for cell sorting.
• Available times for cell sorting on the BD FACS Aria and BD FACS Aria Fusion can be seen in our online calendar.
• Read the user regulations.
• You will receive an order form from FCF that has to be signed by your supervisor (that person to whom the invoices will be sent).
• You will receive a document from FCF that requests details of the sort, such as the type of cells and conditions of the sort. This document must be provided to FCF at least one day ahead of the sort (pdf file or printout).
• Bring the signed user regulations, the required information regarding your cell sort and the completed order form with you at the date of your first cell sort.

• All required and completed documents (see above)
• 5 ml FACS Tubes (e.g. Art. No. 352054, Falcon or Art. No. 55.1579, Sarstedt)
• Staining Buffer (e.g. PBS/1% FCS or cell culture medium with max. 1% FCS or BSA)
• Sort Buffer (e.g. cell culture medium with 10% FCS or BSA) to store the cells after the sort
• Unstained sample (to serve as a negative control)
• Stained sample(s)
• If compensation is required: a probe (cells or beads) that is only stained with one respective fluorochrome.  Such probe is required for each fluorochrome used in the multicolour staining. The probe should contain both, cells/beads positive and negative for this fluorochrome
• A cell filter with a pore size of appr. 40µm (depending on the size of your cells/beads; for example filter with attached tube Falcon, Art. No. 352235), sterile if required
• Collecting tubes for the cells post sorting
  • 1.5mL Eppi:                                     up to 4 populations of cells, with a maximum of 0.5 Mio. cells
  • 5mL FACS tubes:                           up to 4 populations of cells, with a maximum of 2 Mio. Cells
  • 15mL Falcon tubes:                     up to 2 populations of cells with a minimum of 1 Mio. cells
  • 96-well plate:                                 e.g. for egg cell sorting

The Online calendar will give you an overview about available time slots for our two cell sorters.

Please contact FCF staff and ask for an appointment for cell sorting.

Within two days in advance the user can cancel the agreed date free of charge (via e-mail or phone call: +49 241 80 37654).

Otherwise, cancellation costs will be charged according to the reserved measurement time. 

The FCF staff will decide which of the two available cell sorters is more suitable based on the capacities, FACS panels and conditions of the planned sorting experiments:

• The BD FACS Aria II has 3 lasers and 11 channels, while the BD FACS Aria Fusion has 5 lasers and 20 channels.
• Some fluorescence signals can only be detected with a yellow/green or UV laser and must therefore be measured on the BD FACS Aria Fusion.
• Human primary material, potentially infectious material or S2 material, must be sorted on the BD FACS Aria Fusion.

Please contact FCF staff and ask for an appointment for an instruction.

Please read the user regulations.

You will receive an order form from FCF that has to be signed by your supervisor (that person to whom the invoices will be sent).

Bring the signed user regulations and the completed order form with you for the instruction!

Once all documents are complete and the instruction is done, you will receive access to the laboratory, booking calendar and your own account in the device software, which will allow you to use Aurora independently.

• Please contact FCF staff and ask for an appointment for the instruction.

• 5 ml FACS tubes (Art. No. 55.1579, Sarstedt)
• Staining Buffer (e.g. PBS/3% FCS)
• Unstained sample (to serve as a negative control)
• Stained sample(s)
• Single stained sample(s) for each used fluorochrome = Reference Control: Cells or beads that are stained with only one fluorochrome. Such reference control is required for each fluorochrome used in the multicolour staining. The probe should contain both, cells positive and negative for this fluorochrome.
• Cell filter with a pore size of appr. 40µm (depending on the size of your cells/beads; for example a filter with attached tube, Falcon, Art. No. 352235)

Measurement times for cell analysis at the Aurora must be reserved independently by adding them in the corresponding Outlook calendar. This is only possible for internal users.

Each user may only manage his/her own measurement times and may not change or delete those of others.

External users and RWTH students can only read this calendar and must book appointments by phone to +49 241 80 37654 or by e-mail via the FCF.

Please reserve only the time you really need and arrive on time for your measurement appointment.

Due to the sometimes very high utilisation of the unit, it is recommended to book the desired measurement time at least one week in advance.

We kindly ask you to delete reserved dates that cannot be used from the calendar to give other users the chance to hop in.

For external users appointments can also be cancelled by e-mail or phone to +49 241 80 37654.

If agreed deadlines cannot be met, the user can cancel the appointment free of charge within two days before the measurement. Otherwise, cancellation costs will be charged according to the reserved measurement time.