Feb 27 - Mar 1, 2024

Tuesday-Friday

Germantown, MD

The Bioscience Education Center

9:00am-5:00pm

1 Hour Lunch Break

This four day program is ideal for those who are looking for an in-depth, hands-on introduction to Flow Cytometry.  The instructors will focus on a broad spectrum of flow cytometric topics, discuss examples from various research applications, provide technical protocols for flow cytometric sample preparation, as well as data analysis, trouble shooting and experimental design.  Attendees will have hands-on experience on three different flow platforms (Becton Dickinson, Miltenyi, Bio-Rad and Sony) as well as exposure to four software analysis programs.

Flow Cytometry platforms:   BD Accuri C6   I   Miltenyi Biotec MACSQuant Analyzer   I   BioRad ZE5  I  Sony SH800
Flow Cytometry data analysis software:   FlowJo   I   FlowLogic    I    Cyflogic   I  FCS Express 6

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Lecture and Hands-on Interactive Training
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Team taught by active researchers
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Thumbnail drive with Lectures and Workshop material
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Space limited to 18 participants
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Registration Fee: $995

Course Director

Elke Bergmann-Leitner, Ph.D.
Chief, Flow Cytometry Center
USMMRP/WRAIR

Lectures
Basic Analytical Techniques, Principles, and Trouble Shooting; Principles of Cell Staining, Choosing the Right Experimental Controls, Instrument Setup (baseline and compensation); Phenotyping and Analyzing Cell Populations by Flow Cytometry – How to present and interpret flow cytometric data; Introduction to acquisition and analysis Software; Purification and Labeling of Antibodies for Flow Cytometric and Other Ap­plications; Flow Sorting: Critical Experimental Issues and Instrument Setup; Parameters; Functional Flow Cytometric Assays;

Laboratory:
Preparation of Samples for Multicolor Analysis Flow Sorting; Multicolor Analysis, Compensation and Flow Sorting; Hands-on Flow Cytometry Exercises Using Miltenyi MACSQuant Analyzer; Bio-Rad S3e flow sorter; BD Accuri C6;  Software training: Introduction to FlowJo Cytometry Analysis Software; Introduction to Cyflogic Cytometry Analysis Software; Flow Cytometry - Acquisition/Trouble Shooting/ Software; Introduction to FCS Express Cytometry Analysis Software

Attendees attend all lectures and labs listed. 

Flow Cytometric Applications

  • Lecture: Basic Analytical Techniques, Principles, and Trouble Shooting
  • Lecture: Principles of Cell Staining, Choosing the Right Controls, Instrument Setup
  • Laboratory: Preparation of Samples for Multicolor Analysis Flow Sorting

Full Class Lectures

  • Multicolor Flow Cytometry and Panel Development
  • Phenotyping and Analyzing Cell Populations by Flow Cytometry - How to Read Flow Data

Small Learning Groups

  • Refer to ROTATIONS tab for descriptions

FACS Small Learning Groups

BD Accuri C6


STATION 1
Introductory Flow Cytometry Laboratory
Staining of Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMC) (hands on for each participant) with Basic Flow Panel (4 colors). Flow Cytometer Setup (BD Accuri; two lasers) with Special Emphasis on Compensation. Basics on Flow Cytometer Settings - Voltages, Gating, Dump Channels, Exclusion, and Compensation. Each attendee will setup a flow cytometer and perform manual compensation.

Miltenyi MACSQuant


STATION 2
Advanced Flow Cytometry Laboratory
Staining of Human PBMC with 7-color Immunophenotyping Flow Panel. Flow Cytometer Setup (MACSQuant; three lasers) with Special Emphasis on Compensation of Complex Multi-color Panels and Troubleshooting; Antibody Titrations as Preparative Tool for Panel Development; Utilization of Instrument for Rare Cell Detection. This Rotation Includes Automation Demonstrations Including Automated Compensation, Sample Labeling, Acquisition from a Multi-sampler and Analysis. In Addition to Immunophenotyping, Flow Cytometric Cell Counting and Nanoparticle Analysis will be Demonstrated.

Bio-Rad ZE5 Flow Sorter


STATION 3
Applied Laboratory
High Parameter Flow Cytometer: Emphasis on Small Particle Detection/Analysis and High-Throughput Screening

Sony SH800 Flow Sorter


STATION 4
Applied Laboratory
Single Cell Deposition

Lecture

  • Analysis of cell cycle, cellular proliferation by flow cytometry

Laboratories

  • Data Workshop; Hands-on Data Analysis; Samples From Cell Cycle Analysis ; Apoptosis; Multi-Color Surface Staining; Proliferation using Bio-Tracers
  • Software training: Introduction to FlowJo Cytometry Analysis Software; Introduction to FlowLogic Cytometry Analysis Software; Introduction to Cyflogic Cytometry Analysis Software; Introduction to FCS Express Cytometry Analysis Software

Small Group Sessions

  • Flow Cytometry - Acquisition/Trouble Shooting/Software
  • 20 minute time slot rotations - student choice

Elke Bergmann-Leitner, Ph.D.

Dr. Elke Bergmann-Leitner is the Chief of the Flow Cytometry Center (Malaria Vaccine Branch) at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Silver Spring, MD. She is an adjunct Research Associate Professor of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences and has been teaching flow cytometry for 25 years. Currently, her main research focus is the development of readout methods capable of identifying immune correlates of protection against infectious diseases.

WLeitnerWolfgang Leitner, Ph.D.

Dr. Leitner is the Chief of the Innate Immunity Section at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIH/NIAID). He received his flow cytometry training at the University of Salzburg where he obtained a MSc in biochemistry and a PhD in Immunology. He has been teaching flow cytometry for 25 years. Before joining NIAID, he worked on melanoma and lymphoma vaccines at NCI/NIH, and at WRAIR as a vaccine consultant.

March 2022

“Fantastic workshop. Recommend to anyone doing flow cytometry.”  Svetlana I., IBBR/NIST/University of Maryland, CP


“I really enjoyed the course, it was really challenging but I learned so much and can’t wait to use everything that I have learned.”  Megan F., MilliporeSigma


“This course was an excellent exposure for understanding of key concepts of flowcytometry data analysis, experiment design. I got an opportunity to interact with excellent scientists from the field as well as get to see some of the advanced instruments in the market.”  Somanath K., SUNY Upstate Medical University


“What pleased me the most is that all of the lecturers answered the questions considerately and kindly even though they are for basic as the beginners like me can understand.”  Naobi H., N2PPK


“Fantastic Workshop! I learned more than I expected and I am impressed with the quality of lab, lecture, & software training. I will take another workshop in the future. I encourage other scientists to consider Bio-Trac workshops.”  Meagan C.


November 2021

“The staff in particular were exceptionally knowledgeable and talented teachers.  I would absolutely take another Bio-Trac workshop again.”  Jonah H., WRAIR


“Bio-Trac workshops are excellent.  Lectures talked about every aspect of Flow Cytometry, giving me a better idea on how to design my experiments.”  HuiYing T., Thomas Jefferson University


“This workshop was a great crash course and I thoroughly enjoyed the labs. I am excited to apply my new knowledge to my lab’s research and help advance HIV research. Thank you for a great class.”  Erin K., WRAIR/MHRP


“A great and comprehensive workshop for beginners in flow cytometry.”  Diane N., NIST


“Thank you for a valuable training, it was very useful and informative.”  Rashmi S., PhD, National Institute of Plant Biology, New Delhi


“The workshop was great with plenty of hands-on experiments.  Dr. Elke Bergman-Leitner (WRAIR) and Dr. Wolfgang Leitner (NIH/NIAID) are world-class experts.  This workshop gave us a very unique experience which will really help me to design and understand experiment.”  Wei W., Ingenious Targeting Laboratory

The Bioscience Education Center

Montgomery College
20200 Observation Drive
Germantown, MD 20876