HERM Tissue Culture Rooms (HERM TCR)

The TCR comprises three dedicated cell culture rooms equipped with:

• Ten Class II biosafety safety cabinets
• Thirteen incubators, including units for low-oxygen and low-temperature conditions 
• Cell counters
• Amaxa 4D-Nucleofector X 
• Light and fluorescence microscopes

Basic equipment and cell culture consumables are shared across research groups, promoting collaboration and efficient use of resources. The HERM TCR is located adjacent to the Flemingsberg Flow Cytometry Core Facility and the main laboratory area, enabling a wide range of experimental applications.

Access and training requirements

The Principal Investigator (PI) is responsible for ensuring that all group members have the necessary training and practical competence in cell culture techniques before working independently. 

Access to the HERM TCR and the Outlook calendar is granted following completion of the onboarding process, which includes participation in the HERM TCR introduction seminar, review of relevant routines and SOPs, and confirmation of adequate cell culture training and experience by the PI. 

By signing the HERM TCR Onboarding document, users confirm that they understand and will comply with the rules. Mandatory yearly refreshers on routines and rules are provided to all researchers at HERM.

Visitors, short-term collaborators, or students conducting research for less than two months and lacking cell culture experience must work under the direct supervision of an experienced user who has completed the onboarding training.

Safety guidelines

All activities within the HERM TCR must comply with BSL2 requirements and local laboratory safety procedures.

• Cytostatic drugs must be handled only in the designated externally ventilated safety cabinets available in each tissue culture room.
• Cell lines introduced from outside HERM, as well as primary cells cultured for more than four weeks, must be tested and confirmed negative for Mycoplasma before being transferred into the standard tissue culture area.
• New cell lines must be maintained in the designated quarantine safety cabinet and quarantine incubators until Mycoplasma-free status has been verified.
• Researchers handling human blood or blood-derived materials are expected to comply with KI's vaccination and biosafety requirements.