How To Become A User

FlowKon is a service unit providing access to instruments for flow cytometry, multiplexing, and cell sorting. Please register for booking and using our instruments.

Registration

All interested users need to register via the online booking system PPMS.

1.             Navigate to the PPMS login page  
2.             Select “Account creation request”.
3.             Choose type of login. 
4.             Please login with the University of Konstanz credentials.
5.             Fill in the requested information (use the name of your group as "account number"; use your university phone number as it is public to all users).
6.             Click “create”.

After the account has been activated, the new user is asked to contact the facility staff via email for an initial project discussion.

Project Discussion

Future users are requested to contact the facility staff via email flowkon@uni-konstanz.de or phone to setup an appointment for an initial consultation on the individual project. During this meeting experimental goals, instrument choice and issues of sample preparation and panel design will be discussed.

Training

Independent operation of our analyzers requires the user to receive two independent training sessions on the respective instrument. The first training session is an instrument specific instruction, while the second training can already comprise the first scientific experiment under supervision of a facility staff member. Registered users can request a training via the PPMS booking system or email flowkon@uni-konstanz.de.

Booking of Flow Cytometry Analyzers

Autonomous booking of the respective instrument will be granted once the user has completed the instrument-specific training. Booking of the analyzers can be done via the PPMS booking software. Users need to login with the personal user account, select the "Book" tab in the PPMS system, choose the correct time slot and provide biosafety information in the attached booking form. 

Booking of the Cell Sorter

Cell sorting is provided as a service and all sorting experiments are exclusively performed by the facility staff. New users should contact the facility staff for appointing an initial consultation prior to using the cell sorter. It includes considerations about sample preparation, appropriate buffer conditions, choice of collection tubes and experimental controls. Sorting requests can be submitted via the PPMS booking system. Booking prompts users to fill a detailed booking form in which biocontainment and biosafety concerns must be addressed for each experiment.

Booking of the Bio-Plex® 200 and autoMACS®Pro Separator

Users are asked to come to meet the facility staff prior to any experimental setup in order to ensure correct sample preparation and kit choice. Please contact the facility staff via phone or email flowkon@uni-konstanz.de for an appointment. Afterwards the user gets an introductory training and will then  be able to reserve the respective instrument using the "Book" tab in the PPMS booking system.