BFC - user guidelines

The BFC provides open access to all interested researchers regardless of their affiliation to assistance in both Flow Cytometry Analysis and Sorting experiments. In order to gain self-use certification in our analyzers and sorters, the BFC team strives to provide each user with education and training to achieve independent performance.

How to get access to the BFC services

The first step to get access to the BFC services is to apply for an account in the iLab booking system. This system will be used for all bookings, service requests as well as introduction/training.

For KI users

To get started, you must register for an account:

  1. Navigate to the BFC iLab core page 
  2. In the upper right-hand corner of the screen select Sign In and use the ‘Sign in using SWAMID credentials’ option (SWAMID is the same as your KIID) 
  3. You will be directed to an authentication page where you will need to enter your SWAMID (KIID) credentials 
  4. Once you have entered your credentials, click the ‘Login’ button 
  5. You will be directed to an iLab Registration page where you will need to select your PI/Lab and verify your contact information.  
  6. Once your registration has been submitted, your PI will receive a notification that you have requested membership to their lab in iLab. They will need to approve your membership and assign any Project numbers for your use.

Please note: In case a PI/lab can’t be found, ask your PI to make sure that the relevant project number(s) connected to the PI/lab is/are marked as “CFKUND” in UBW (economy system). This has to be done by an economy administrator at your department. If the project number can’t be found, make sure that your PI has assigned the project number to the user (you).

Use this to request introduction and/or training, and for submitting a sort application form (which 
is needed to book sorts): 

Once you have been accepted into your PI’s lab and assigned Project numbers, you can create service requests.

  1. Navigate to the BFC iLab core page
  2. At the upper right-hand corner of the page Sign In and then select the ‘Sign in using SWAMID credentials’ option.  
  3. Enter your SWAMID (KIID) credentials, and sign in. 
  4. Select the Request Services tab and click on the Request Service button next to the service of interest. 
  5. You will be asked to complete a form before submitting the request to the core. 
  6. Your request will be pending review by the core. The core will review your request and either Agree to the work or they will ask for more information if needed.

Once you have been accepted into your PI’s lab and assigned Project numbers, you can schedule equipment time.

  1. Navigate to the BFC iLab core page
  2. At the upper right-hand corner of the page click Sign In and use the ‘Sign in using SWAMID credentials’ option  
  3. Enter your SWAMID (KIID) credentials and sign in.  
  4. Select the Schedule Equipment tab and click on the View Schedule button next to the instrument of interest. Click and drag on the time frame you would like to schedule your reservation for.  
  5. A window will pop up that will allow you to verify your reservations details and provide payment information before saving the reservation.

Please note that a sort application form (see “service request” above) is required for booking 
of time for sorting).

More detailed instructions can be found by clicking on the “HELP” link in the upper right hand corner or by navigating to our iLab Help Site or on the KI iLab Project page. For any questions not addressed in the Helpsite, click on the “HELP” link in the upper right hand corner and submit a ticket, or email ilab-support@agilent.com.

For PI's and group leaders

If there are researchers using the core facility’s services, you may receive email requests from these researchers wishing to join your group in the online system. This type of request email will have specific instructions on how to approve the request.

If you would prefer to delegate these notifications/approvals to a financial manager or an administrator, please email ilab-support@agilent.com with the name and email address of the researcher in question.

  1. Log in using your SWAMID (KIID) credentials.
  2. Once logged in, look for the link in the left-hand menu under my groups. Hover over and select your lab.  
  3. Set the auto-approval amount if you do not wish to approve service requests below a certain dollar amount. To do this, select the Members panel and enter an amount in the Auto Pre-Approval amount and click save settings. The default setting for the pre-approval is 10 000 SEK.  
  4. To approve lab membership requests, select the Membership Requests & Project numbers tab. New membership requests will show at the top of this page.
    • Click Approve to accept a member into your lab.
    • Click Reject if they are not a member of your lab.  
  5. To assign a Project numbers to a member of your lab, find the member in the above list where it says, Manage Project numbers.
  6. Select the checkbox(es) to the right of their name for the Project number(s) you wish to assign them.

Please note: in case a PI/lab can’t be found in iLab, make sure that the relevant project number(s) connected to the PI/lab is/are marked as “CFKUND” in UBW (economy system). This has to be done by an economy administrator at your department. In case the members of your lab cannot find the project number make sure that the PI(you) have assigned the project number to the user. For help contact your economy administrator or cfm-support@ki.se.

More detailed instructions can be found by clicking on the “HELP” link in the upper right hand corner or by navigating to our iLab Help Site or on the KI iLab Project page. For any questions not addressed in the Helpsite, click on the “HELP” link in the upper right hand corner and submit a ticket, or email ilab-support@agilent.com.

For corporate users (external non-KI customer/client)

  1. Go to the iLab login page
  2. If you belong to an institution/organization connected to SWAMID, choose Sign in using SWAMID credentials. Several universities are connected to SWAMID.
  3. If you already have an iLab account, you can choose Sign in using iLab credentials.
  4. If you don’t have an account and can’t use SWAMID, choose Register in the top right hand corner, followed by Register for an iLab account.
  5. Enter your email address and press continue. 
  1. Provide your personal information.
  2. Enter your institution/company in the I am affiliated with the following institution field. If your institution/company doesn’t already exist in iLab, you can register it during the registration process.
  3. Press continue once all information is filled in.

Group Associations

  1. Search for your lab/research group. If it doesn’t already exist, you can register a new one.
  2. Press continue to proceed.

Billing information

  1. Provide your billing information.
  2. Press complete to proceed.

Payment information

In order to schedule equipment or request services and projects at KI, you will be asked to enter a payment reference (PO number, grant, etc.) that will be used as payment information on invoices in iLab. This will be entered per request and will be a free text entry. 
 
The information can be entered when:

  • Making a reservation on a calendar
  • Initiating a request for services
  • Updating from the View My Requests tab while the Service Request/Project is active, by clicking on the dollar sign icon.

Request scheduled equipment

Detailed information about how to schedule equipment in iLab.

Request service and projects

Detailed information about how to request services and projects in iLab

Overview of using a core

Detailed general information on how to use iLab

Once your iLab account is activated, you can request access to any of BFC's services

BFC - Flow Cytometry Analysis
BFC - Flow Cytometry Sorting

Safety regulations

Before commencing any new experiments, it is the obligation of the Principal Investigator (PI) to secure and maintain appropriate biosafety approvals. For each experiment, a Work Request should be created in iLab, where the user must fill in the biosafety information. In the event of any significant alteration in sample processing or instrumentation, a renewed risk assessment must be conducted, and it may be necessary to submit a new Work Request in iLab. For instance, changes from fixed to viable samples, or transitioning from an analytical instrument to a cell sorter are all frequent examples that may require renewed risk assessments and protocol submissions.

The analysis room (C0311) is classified at Biosafety Level 1 (BSL1). You can therefore bring BSL1 (lowest level) samples. 

The sorting room (C0317) is classified at Biosafety Level 2 (BSL2). You can therefore bring BSL1 and BSL2 samples. Beware that we have different rules for each of our sorters: 

  • FACS Aria III sorter: dedicated to BSL1 samples. BSL2 samples are forbidden
  • FACS Aria Fusion: this sorter is located within a safety cabinet, allowing the handling of BSL1 and BSL2 samples

In the event of having BSL3 samples, you can use the BSL3 facility cytometers for both analyzing and sorting. Please refer to their webpage for further information and contact.