The Southern Catalonia Biomedical Research Institute – IRBCatSud (formerly IISPV) Flow Cytometry Platform will host, on a demonstration basis, the CytoFLEX nano Flow Cytometer from Beckman Coulter, a state-of-the-art instrument that will be available to the scientific community for a two-month period, starting on 18th May, at the platform facilities located at the Hospital Joan XXIII in Tarragona.
The arrival of this instrument will be accompanied by an online training seminar, lasting one hour, which will take place on 18 May from 10.50 a.m. (link available here). The seminar will begin with a brief welcome, followed by an introduction by Jorge A. Formaro, a member of the Flow Cytometry Division at Beckman Coulter Life Sciences (11 a.m.), who will present the main capabilities of the new tool. The session will include an open question and discussion time (11.50 a.m.) and will conclude at 12 p.m..
Researchers interested in testing samples, attending the seminar, or receiving further information are required to contact the platform in advance via citometria@irbcatsud.cat. Experiments will be individually designed, with the appropriate controls prepared in advance.
The main objectives of this demo are to explore the potential of flow cytometry applied to nanoparticles using real samples, assess the suitability of the equipment for ongoing research projects, and analyze the potential impact of this technology on the local research community.
The CytoFLEX nano is designed for advanced analysis of nanoparticles and extracellular vesicles, enabling the detection of particles as small as 40 nm. The system offers high sensitivity multiparametric analysis, with up to six fluorescence channels and five side scatter channels, as well as detailed characterization of extracellular vesicles, viruses, and nanoparticles.
The unit’s objective is to provide an in-depth understanding of flow cytometry
The Cytometry Platform of the Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV) continues to advance the understanding of flow cytometry through training sessions for students. Recently, the unit organized and conducted two courses for students from Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV) and the Institut Cal·lípolis of Tarragona. In the first case, it was the third edition of the Basic Course in Flow Cytometry, aimed at students from the Degree in Biotechnology, the Degree in Computer Engineering and Biotechnology, and the Double Degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at URV.
The students received both theoretical and practical training during their visit to the Cytometry Unit, where they observed the processing of peripheral blood samples. They were able to distinguish cell populations based on size, complexity, and the use of different light-reactive chemical compounds (fluorochromes).
As for the second group of students, who are pursuing a Higher Degree in Clinical and Biomedical Laboratory Studies at the Cal·lípolis Institute, they attended the fifth edition of the Basic Course in Flow Cytometry. The aim of the training was to strengthen the connection between students in the health sciences field and the IISPV. The course consisted of a theoretical and practical session, which also included the analysis of a peripheral blood sample.
The students thus had the opportunity to participate in a training session where they became familiar with the basic concepts of the technique while observing the live processing of a peripheral blood sample labeled with fluorochromes.