Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
Cytometry, Screening and Imaging Core Facility
Border Biomedical Research Center
University of Texas at El Paso
Specific SOP Guidelines
- All potential users must complete orientation training provided by the Core Supervisor. Upon completion of this orientation, individuals are provided with an personal access code to the facility, also used to monitor constantly who enters the facility.
- Orientation covers user responsibilities with an emphasis on potential safety hazards that may be encountered in the core. A general outline of aseptic technique is provided along with a brief description of what equipment is contained in the work areas. User rules and sign-in procedures are explained during orientation. After orientation, users will be expected to fully understand the importance of aseptic technique in the facility and enclosed guidelines to maintain a clean working area with an emphasis on safety.
- Training for use of cell culture equipment, as well as cytometry instruments is also provided by Core personnel; for schedule contact Core personnel or Director.
- Users are required to bring their own lab coats (to be worn at all times) and disposable cell culture supplies (i.e., media, disposable supplies, etc.).
- Users must date and label any stored or cultured items (media, culture bottles, etc.,) with the name of user and PI.
- Freezer space must only be used to store items temporarily to be used for cell culture.
- All cell lines stored in the -140 freezers should be documented in an inventory system (addition and removal of vials must be indicated).
- All users must sign a reservation log annotating user name, lab affiliation, date, the start time and end time that the safety cabinets was used.
- Safety cabinets working area must be cleaned before and after each use by wiping down all surfaces with 70% alcohol.
- Contaminated liquid waste must be pretreated with 10% bleach before discarding.
- Decontamination of vacuum trap liquid waste bottles must be performed by using 10% bleach and be left with a fresh solution of 10% bleach for subsequent users.
- UV light irradiation of safety cabinets working area will require a minimum of 15-20 minutes.
- Use of incubators is allocated to no more than three PI's per incubator.
- Instrument preventive maintenance and or decontamination are performed by Core Staff. Any contamination of instruments or areas in the Core Facility must be brought to Supervisor's attention immediately after occurred or noticed.
- Universal precautions are necessary to prevent unnecessary exposure to potential human pathogens. All users must have completed Environmental Health and Safety (UTEP) training prior to use of the Core Facility. These training consist of "Laboratory Safety" and "Blood Borne Pathogens" (for schedule visit: http://admin.utep.edu/Default.aspx?tabid=13984).
- Online reservation of cytometry equipment is on a first come, first served basis should be done after proper registration by accessing the Core Facility webpage: http://utepflow.calendarhost.com/cgi-bin/calweb/calweb.cgi
- After appropriate training on instruments, users must sign-up log annotating user name, lab affiliation, date, the start time and end time that the instrument was used.
- Various instruments require a high level of technical sophistication and are operated exclusively by the Core Facility personnel. Therefore, all users must schedule this service in advance by submitting a service request form. This includes flow cytometer cell sorter.
- The Core Staff will determine whether users have sufficient skill levels to operate instruments autonomously or whether Staff assistance is required.
- A Fee-for-Service form is required for certain specialized procedures and users must provide all materials and supplies for those services.
- High Throughput Screening protocols and assays will be reviewed for feasibility by the Director, Core staff, and the BBRC Statistician (Dr. Julia Bader) prior to implementation. In addition, an internal review committee composed of the BBRC Director and the Internal Advisory Committee will review proposed HTS assays and assign priority scores based on preliminary data (proof of concept) and merit. The most meritorious proposals will proceed based on their priority scores, in the order in which they were received. Suggestions will also be provided to those receiving low priority scores for improvement of proposals for subsequent resubmission.
- The following acknowledgement statement will be provided to investigators to ensure proper citation of grant number and source in publications and presentations: "We would like to thank the Staff of the Cytometry, Screening and Imaging (CSI) Core Facility for services and facilities provided. This Core Facility is supported by grant 8G12MD007592 to the Border Biomedical Research Center (BBRC) from the National Institutes on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of NCRR or NIH." Note that you may modify this acknowledgement statement with permission from the Core Facility Director.
- Failure to specifically recognize the use of the Core Facility in such publications will result in revocation of Core privileges upon consultation with internal BBRC advisory committees.