Resources
Expand each of the subsections below for further information
Other flow cytometry facilities within Imperial College London
Centre for Immunology and Vaccinology CL3 Cell Sorting, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital
LMS NIHR Flow Cytometry Facility, Hammersmith
Scientific journals
The official journal of the International Society for Advancement of Cytometry focuses on quantitative single-cell analysis. It features original research reports and reviews of innovative scientific studies employing quantitative single-cell measurement, separation, manipulation, and modelling techniques, as well as original articles on mechanisms of molecular and cellular functions obtained by cytometry techniques.
Cytometry Part B: Clinical Cytometry
The official Journal of the International Clinical Cytometry Society features original research reports, in-depth reviews and special issues that directly relate to and palpably impact clinical flow, mass and image-based cytometry. These may include clinical and translational investigations important in the diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic management of patients.
Current Protocols in Cytometry
It is a comprehensive source for protocols and review articles focused on the detection and analysis of various cellular populations, including instrumentation, data processing and analysis, cell and molecular imaging, and more.
Interdisciplinary journal providing a definitive source of research methods. It does not have a dedicated section for flow cytometry. However, it allows searching for protocols for antibody screening, assessment of apoptosis, cell death measuring and others.
Optimized Multicolor Immunofluorescence Panel (OMIP)
Reports on newly designed and optimized multicolor panels for flow cytometry, image cytometry and other polychromatic fluorescence-based methods. OMIPs alleviate the development time for researchers in need of the same or highly similar panels, provide a starting point for the creation of novel OMIPs, and give panel credit to the developers.
User groups
Formed in June 2006 to promote the interaction between all users of flow and imaging cytometry within the UK. They hold regional meetings to foster interaction between users and promote new applications and techniques. In addition, this site acts as a central resource for links, protocols, meeting advertisements and other relevant information. Their regional London Cytometry Club holds regular meetings and attendance is free.
The RMS is dedicated to furthering the science of microscopy. It does that through a wide range of activities that support research and education in microscopy, cytometry and imaging. The Flow Cytometry Section of RMS was established specifically to encourage communication between cytometrists in both clinical and research laboratories.
International Society for the Advancement of Cytometry
ISAC is the professional organisation for scientists utilising analytical cytometry, the multidisciplinary, advanced technology for the measurement of cells and cellular processes for biological and diagnostic purposes. It provides resources for facility staff, data standards, meeting advertisements and online education, including the Minimum Information about a Flow Cytometry Experiment and the Cyto University.
Purdue University Cytometry Laboratories
The first site web site in cytometry, created in 1993. It contains video tutorials, reference materials, protocols, software, jobs and more. It contains the much loved Cytometry Discussion List, a searchable international mailing list questions and answers for flow cytometry users.
An online community for users of Cytek Aurora that is free to access, consult and take part in.
European Society of Clinical Cell Analysis
ESCCA aims at the standardisation, validation and dissemination of flow cytometric know-how and its implementation in clinical laboratories. Aside from highly valuable educational resources, it contains the multicentre Eurostandards project (2004), which developed a number of technical guidelines on cell subset identification and absolute counting, stem cell enumeration and subsetting, micro-bead-based flow cytometric analysis and HLA-tetramer analysis.
International Clinical Cytometry Society
ICCS serves the needs of those involved in the current and emerging clinical applications of cytometry throughout the world. It provides information on clinical cases, quality standards, educational resources and an Ask an Expert section.
Books and protocols
Books
Flow Cytometry - A Basic Introduction
Electronic version of the book edited by Dr. Michael Ormerod provided by De Novo Software. This handbook covers flow cytometry's basis theory and deals exclusively with mammalian systems. A must-read for beginners in flow cytometry.
Single Cell Analysis - Contemporary Research and Clinical Applications
Purdue University Cytometry Laboratories manual by J. Paul Robinson and Andrea Cossarizza, published by Springer in 2017. This book highlights the current state of the art in single cell analysis – from clinical hematology, functional analysis and drug screening, to platelet and microparticle analysis, marine biology and fundamental cancer research.
Flow Cytometry of Hematological Malignancies
ESCCA Manual by Claudio Ortolani, published by Wiley-Blackwell in 2011. An array of graphical outputs produced by flow cytometry in the study of neoplastic blood diseases. The images included allow you to compare your own results with a third party reference pattern. There is a detailed description of the main leukocyte antigens, together with a description of their distribution amongst normal and abnormal blood cells, and a comprehensive description of the disease phenotype.
Protocols
- Worthington Tissue Dissociation Guide
- The importance of area scaling with FACS DIVA software
- Combined Flow Cytometric Measurement of Two Cell-Surface Antigens and DNA-RNA Content
- Flow Cytometric Preservation Protocol (for marine and freshwater samples)
- Tips and Tricks – Analyzing Challenging Samples within a Core Laboratory
E-learning
iBiology
BD Introduction to Flow Cytometry Web-Based Training
A beginners webinars course that describes flow cytometry principles, components and function of each part of the instrument, the sorting process and how to analyse data.
Mario Roederer's Compensation Perspective
An entire website dedicated to compensation: why it is important, how to do it, and the most usual errors when doing it. Also recommended is his paper “Compensation in Flow Cytometry” (2002).
ISAC's learning resources for flow cytometry. It provides live webinars, peer-reviewed and recorded courses, and tutorials from CYTO conferences, among other interactive elements. Register as a fee-paying member or a free non-member.
Flow Cytometry Training 2020 - The Francis Crick Institute
A detailed list of webinars developed by the flow cytometry department at Crick Institute during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown.
An international open access Flow Cytometry education resource.
Playlist managed by the Flow Facility at the University of Chicago. The videos are being monetized and the revenue is sent to Chicago User Group (ChUG) Cytometry, a non-profit scientific educational group on everything flow cytometry.
Clinical Cytometry Education Network
CCEN hosts educational resources for the international clinical cytometry community, from practical clinical cytometry courses to training of young professionals via the Visitor Training Program.
Software, open research and publishing
Minimum Information about a Flow Cytometry Experiment
MIFlowCyt promotes that the published results of any study have to be open to independent validation or refutation. It establishes criteria for recording and reporting information about the flow cytometry experiment overview, samples, instrumentation and data analysis. FlowRepository is a database of flow cytometry experiments where you can download data collected and annotated according to the MIFlowCyt standard. These data can also be used to learn how to use data analysis software. If used, reference accordingly:
Developed by BD for the analysis of all types of cytometry data. FlowJo University is a complete set of videos to understand how to operate FlowJo to analyse single-cell phenotypes, from the basics of the layout editor to proliferation and high parameter analysis algorithms.
Developed by Cytek for the analysis of spectral cytometry data. SpectroFlo Video Tutorials is a playlist that covers everything from daily maintenance of Cytek Aurora to editing the workspace and keeping an updated reference library of single-colour controls.
Developed by De Novo Software, it is preferred for the analysis of clinical cytometry data. FCS Express Video Resources offers recorded versions of all their webinars as well as short overviews of most features in FCS Express. They have uploaded Pipelines for HD Data Analysis a playlist to start you on high-dimensional analysis. All videos are available for direct download.
A volunteer project dedicated to teaching basic computing skills to researchers. GitHub, Python and R are covered in their in-person workshops, and lessons are available in their website free of charge, bith in English and Spanish.
tSNE vs. UMAP
Dimension reduction techniques such as tSNE and UMAP are absolutely central for many types of big data analysis in cytometry. Learn how to interpret them and how to create them in the following links:
Catalog of Free Flow Cytometry Software
Managed by the Purdue University Cytometry Laboratories. This catalogue strives to be comprehensive -- to include as much free flow cytometry software as possible. It also includes some demonstrations of commercial packages.
A cloud-based platform for the analysis of big single-cell data: Sunburst, Dose Response, Heat Maps, SPADE, viSNE, CITRUS, Dot and Histogram Overlays.
Spectra viewers
BD Biosciences Fluorescence Spectrum Viewer - The best option for those working with BD instruments and conventional flow cytometry. Only works in a desktop browser.
Invitrogen Spectrum Viewer - More advanced than the BD's viewer, but good if you have unusual fluorophores and fluorescent proteins. Only works in a desktop browser.
Cytek Aurora Full Spectrum Viewer - The best option for those working with our Aurora and spectral flow cytometry. Only works in a desktop browser.
Biolegend Fluorescence Spectra Analyzer - Now with conventional and spectral cytometry analysis. Also available as App for Android.
FPbase - The Fluorescent Protein Database
A free and open-source, community-editable database for fluorescent proteins (FPs) and their properties. It is mainly directed at microscopy purposes, but it contains invaluable information on FP performance under different conditions, a collection database of available plasmids and a chart of FP properties.
Semrock Searchlight - A very advanced spectra viewer for flow cytometry and microscopy. Also available as App for Android.
Fluorophores.org - The Database of Fluorescent Dyes and Applications
Graz University of Technology, Austria. Accurate, high valuable and comprehensive catalogue of fluorescent (luminescent) dyes, their properties and applications.
A free resource with panel builder and antibody database, including suppliers.
