Facility Head:
Motomi OSATO
CSI Singapore

Background

The Facility currently operates 2 Becton-Dickinson FACSAria II for cell sorting and analysis. These machines have 3 or 5 air-cooled lasers and are capable of performing 9 – 12 colour flow cytometry analyses, 2- and 4-way bulk sorting to tubes, and single-cell sorting to well plates (ranging from 6 to 96 wells) or microscope slides. The sorts can be done in aseptic conditions and the cells are suitable for culture. In addition, the Facility runs 1 Becton-Dickinson LSRII for analysis with 5 lasers so that users can perform 10-colour analyses. The acquisition of another FACS analyzer is also being considered to meet the increasing demand of users.

We are able to answer all enquiries on:

• Sample preparation requirements
• Instrument configuration and set-up (including custom filter configuration)
• Suitability of fluorochrome combinations
• Application support
  • Compensation
  • Cell sorting
  • Immunophenotyping / Cell signaling
  • Cell cycle analysis
  • Apoptosis Assays (Annexin V, Caspase, Cyanine dyes etc)
  • Cell Proliferation (BrdU, EdU, PKH26, CFSE)
  • Stem Cell Side Population
  • Calcium Flux
  • Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)
  • Drug Uptake / Phagocytosis
• FACSDiva and FlowJo software

We have FACSDiva (for Windows XP) and FlowJo (for Macintosh/ Windows) dongles available for lease (3 hours). The dongles will allow you to install and analyse your data on your own computer. Please contact Michelle.

CSI FACS Facility Access Policy

Operation Hours

• 8:30am to 9pm (Monday – Friday, excluding public holiday)
• Operator-assisted FACS Aria sorting service is available between 9am to 9pm.
• The FACSAria cell sorter can be used 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. However, self-operated sorting is expected on weekends & after 9pm on weekdays and is opened to trained staff only.
• Self-operation is required for analysis by LSRII at all times. We can give you a basic walkthrough if you are a first time user.

Booking System

• Our booking website is –> https://csi.nus.edu.sg/facs/
• To register for an account, please contact us at csifacs@nus.edu.sg
• Booking is required for use of the FACS Aria & LSRII at all times, including usage during non-chargeable hours.
• Minimun notice period for cell sorting is 12 hours (office hour timeslots). Cell sorting appointments from 6pm to 9pm must be made minimally one day in advance. Please notify us via EMAIL for urgent evening access to the cell sorter.
• Maximum booking hours for LSRII is 3 hours.
• User will be notified after booking is approved.
• All usage of the LSRII PC is chargeable, even for “Data Analysis” use only. Users are encouraged to borrow our software dongles to perform data analysis on their own PCs.
  (Please contact us for more information on charges)
• Charging takes into effect from the time service is booked, regardless of your punctuality. Charging ends according to the time booked on the system, or the actual end time of the service, whichever occurs at a later hour.
• No service charge during non-facility operation hours.
• Small packets of 5ml FACS tubes (25 tubes) is available for sale to users who will be running their samples at CSI FACS.

Cancellation can be made by deleting the booking from the online system.