Scheduling

If you do not have an iLab and a Lab Account with us, please click start here before proceeding any further.

ilab-screenshotFor all UCSF internal users use your MyAccess ID to login to the iLab online scheduler. You will find PFCC's services under the "Parnassus Flow Cytometry CoLab". All External Users require an approved business contract before requesting any service from the Core.

Click HERE or bookmark the link below for direct access to iLab: 

https://ucsf.ilab.agilent.com/sc/5162/parnassus-flow-cytometry-core/?tab=equipment
 

In this page you will find a summary of the Scheduling Rules at PFCC, these are subdivided in the sections:

 

Rules and Guidelines for Scheduling:

1. iLab roles and recommended scheduling time

iLab will automatically place your contact information when signing up, unless you are given the Lab Manager role.

  • After onboarding [as Onboarded]: users can schedule Training classes, can schedule instruments for Assisted use only, by Core (+hrly rate) or fellow LabMembers assistance.
  • After training [as Trained]: users can schedule instruments for self-use after completing respective Training. Remember to schedule your Guidance after each class.
2. Advanced Scheduling 

Scheduling and booking of instruments is mandatory before use:

  • On all Flow Cytometry services you can reserve instruments up to 30 days in advance.
  • On the CyTOF / Helios you can reserve instruments up to 60 days in advance.
  • On Other & Genomics services you can reserve instruments up to 30 days in advance.

Additionally: 

  • Please reserve the appropriate amount of time for your experiment plus 15 minutes for System Changeover/Shutdown and any possible troubleshooting.
  • Provide the appointment's information on the respective Required Form (on right side of each iLab reservation).
  • Start and finish on time.  If you go into the next person's time, you may negotiate with them, but please follow the properly scheduled person's demands when they tell you they need the instrument.
  • If you wish to shorten booked time during your reservation no modifications will be done to the schedule unless you find another user to take up your booked time.
  • Failure to reserve instruments before use, is a Fine for Misuse of Equipment of at least one hour plus the cost per hour of the time the instrument was used. Repeat offenders will find their use of this facility to be revoked.

All Rates and Billing accessible on the website.

3. Specific requirements for Self Sorting services

For Self sorting using the FACSArias or Sony always provide the updated information on the Required Form, this will guide us on the needed instrument configuration.

  • The Core is responsible for the "Aria-Setup" during Hours of Operation, please note the earliest sort time accomodated is 8.30am.
  • Additionally, if a nozzle change is required between yours and the previous booking, please account for a 10-15min delay required for the sorter nozzle change and re-calibration.
  • Any special requests?  Please use the comments box and email [email protected] .
  • If you do not provide us with the information reaquested, the Core will not be responsible for the "Aria-Setup."
4. Requesting Operator Assistance, Hands-on Training or Guidance services

If you or members of your lab need Operator Assistance, Hands-on Training, or Guidance, please contact us, so a member of the Flow Core can be made available. Availability: Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm. Required: at least 1 week notice. You must schedule as soon as you make the instrument reservation on iLab.

Need Assistance? Here is how to submit the request:

1. Login to iLab with your personal account

2. Using the <Schedule Equipment> tab find a compatible & available instrument by getting an overview of the schedule by Day / Week of multiple machines by using one of the two options: <Reservations> tab OR <Timeline View> button.

3. Within the instrument's calendar, click <Linked Calendar> to overlap Flow Team’s availability.

4. Click and drag to reserve your instrument time when no other appointments overlap. Follow the “Assisted Use by Core staff” checklist on the right Required Form.

  • on the RIGHT side Form: select Assisted Use by Core Staff, and fill in the necessary information

  • on the LEFT side under “Reserve time on a linked schedule”, check <Reserve> box under and pick one of the Staff calendars.
    • If GREEN: no overlapping reservation, Staff is available for the requested time.

  • If RED: Team is not available for the requested time, please edit your reservation Start and/or End time.

  • To notify the Flow Team on the LEFT side under "Use and Cost of Reservation" switch Pricing Details to Assisted Use

ilab-assistance_1

4. Submit Reservation on iLab and attach your experiment details using this Assist Form in the Upload Section within 48hrs

5. Reserve the instrument and make your request with at least 1 week notice. Short notice request may not be accommodated.

6. Wait for the reservation confirmation and follow up email from the Flow CoLab team within 48 hrs. Otherwise please email [email protected] ASAP.

For a birds eye view of the Flow Team's availability, check Staff and Events Calendar on our website. Confirm calendar is open and no other Assistance requests that day; and Confirm that your appointment does not overlap with Core-wide meetings: "CoLab/CoProject Meetings" and "Lab Meeting".

 

Need Guidance? Here is how to submit the request:

1. Check Team's availability as above, then Reserve the instrument on an available day/time with at least 1 week notice.

2. Similar to above, within iLab when making the instrument reservation:

  • on the RIGHT side Form: select Guidance by Core Staff, and fill in the necessary information
  • for Guidance request, you can check our team's availability using the “Reserve time on a linked schedule” step from above but no need to check and add Assisted by Staff fee.
  • To notify the Flow Team on the LEFT side under "Use and Cost of Reservation" switch Pricing Details to Assisted Use

ilab-assistance_1

3. Submit Reservation on iLab and attach your experiment details using this Assist Form in the Upload Section within 48hrs

4. Reserve the instrument and make your request with at least 1 week notice. Short notice request may not be accommodated.

5. Wait for the reservation confirmation and follow up email from the Flow CoLab team within 48 hrs. Otherwise please email [email protected] ASAP.

 

Requests made with less than the required 1 week advanced notice may not be able to be accommodated. If you continue to schedule last minute without justifiable reason, you will be denied access to the facility.

 

 

5. Lab Priority Times (instrument specific)

Follow the rules on instrument signups as some labs have priority times. Check the time's comment field for updates. If there is a priority time that becomes available, contact us and we can lift the restriction.  Please let us know your PI and which speedtype to use.

ANALYZERS
  • Fortessa (Cookie Monster): Lowell/Krummel/Rosenblum labs have priority and can reserve a week or more in advance and reserve the right to bump others who do not follow this rule. If not taken by the week cutoff, the time slot can be used by anyone.  Other users can be approved by the Flow Core with a valid reason in advance to not be bumped.
  • Fortessa X-20 Dual Left (Bert):  HSW12 labs have reserved time 1-5p on Mondays & Wednesdays, 2-6p on Thursdays, and 9a-1p on Fridays. If no one’s name is in the Comments field by noon, 1 day before, the time slot can be used by anyone.
  • Fortessa X-20 Dual Right (Ernie):  HSW12 labs have reserved time 1-6p on Tuesdays & Thursdays, and 1-5p on Fridays.  If no one’s name is in the Comments field by noon, 1 day before, the time slot can be used by anyone.
  • LSRII (Big Bird): Anderson lab reserved time is 3-7p on Wednesday & Friday. Lanier lab reserved time is 3-6pm on Tuesday & Thursday.  If no one has signed up by the day before, the time slot can be used by anyone.
  • Fortessa X-50 FACSymphony (Stay Puft Marshmallow Man): PICI labs approved by the Flow Core have priority and can bump others.
  • FACSCalibur (Gonzo the Great):  Clinical patient samples approved by the Flow Core have priority and can bump others.
SORTERS
  • Aria3u (Animal):  Clinical patient samples approved by the Flow Core have priority and can bump others. 
  • Aria2 (Beaker): Clinical patient samples approved by the Flow Core have priority and can bump others. Tang lab has time reserved on Weds 1-6pm. If no Tang lab member reserves by the day before, the time slot can be used by anyone.
  • Aria2 (Bunsen Honeydew): Dermatology Department Labs will have Priority Sorting Times on this instrument, and have reserved time: Monday: 2-6pm | Tuesday-Friday 11am-4pm. If no Dermatology lab member is using the time, the time slot will be opened the day before, and can be used by anyone.
  • Aria Fusion (Jabba the Hutt): Labs may only book on available times 3 days in advance. Weekdays 1-6pm are priority times for clinical samples. Labs with clinical samples should contact Flow Core staff for reservations during this time block. You will be placed in a queue and will receive an iLab notification by noon on the day before of your requested time. If no one’s name is in the Comments field by noon on the day of, the 1-6pm time slot can be used by anyone.
  • Aria Fusion (Mylo): Krummel lab reserved time is 3-9pm, Monday through Friday, for the ImmunoProfiler project.  Other labs with clinical samples can contact Flow Core staff for access to this time 24 hours in advance. You will be placed in a queue and will receive an iLab notification by noon on the day before of your requested time. If no one’s name is in the Comments field by noon on the day of, the 3-9pm time slot can be used by anyone. Krummel lab will also have reserved time 10am-3pm, Tuesday through Thursday, and if no one’s name is in the Comments field by the day before, the time slot can be used by anyone. For other open times, labs may only book 3 days in advance.  
CyTOF
  • CyTOF Helios (Blue): Spitzer lab reserved time is Monday and Tuesday. Fong lab reserved time is Wednesday and Thursday.

 

   6. Cancellations

On users can cancel themselves using iLab scheduler even during the cancellation period. Just click on the reservation and <Delete Reservation>. Keep in mind:

On all Flow Cytometry and Genomics services you have up to 24 hours before the scheduled event to modify or cancel without charge using iLab scheduler. If you cancel after this time on iLab you will be charged a cancellation fee to cover operational costs.

On the Cell Sorters if you signed up for Self-Sorting on the Aria, and decide to cancel after the Aria Setup has already been performed, you will be billed for an hour of Self-Sorting, plus the cancellation fee of the remainder of your time. If you wish to shorten booked time during your reservation, unless you find another user to take up your booked time no modifications will be done to the schedule.

On the CyTOF / Helios you have up to 7 days before the scheduled event to modify or cancel without charge, after this time if you cancel on iLab you will be charged a cancellation fee to cover operational costs. If cancellation request is made 48 hours before the scheduled event you will be charged the full reservation total unless you find another user to take up your booked time.

Cancellations are tracked and will show up on your billing invoice. No-shows will be billed based on their scheduled time. If you no-show frequently, we will contact your PI.

If cancelled time is taken by another user Cancellation Fee is waived.

To update the start time of the appointment after the 24hr time without charge you must contact Flow Core staff at [email protected].

 

 

7. Shutdown Policies on Self-use Instruments

The last user registered on the schedule for that day is responsible for shutting down the instrument. After every use, check the scheduler for the most updated information and see if there is anyone on after you. More details HERE.

If you signed up and find that you are the last person to run that day on any instrument, but decide to cancel, please do the following steps:

  1. Inform the person who was scheduled ahead of you that they are now the last user and they should go ahead and shut it down, CC on that email [email protected] .
  2. Confirm the instrument will be shutdown by the user, otherwise you can shut it down yourself.  

If you fail to do the above items, and the instrument is found on the following day you will be held responsible, your PI contacted to inform them of what has transpired, and you will be fined for failing to perform the System Changeover/Shutdown SOP. Failing to perform the System Changeover/Shutdown SOP is a Fine for Misuse of Equipment of at least one hour plus the cost per hour for the time the instrument was left on.

 

8. Please contact us for any scheduling questions / help

If you are finding it hard to get time scheduled on an instrument/service, and there is a particular time you need, contact Flow Core staff at [email protected] and we will attempt to mediate a solution among the labs so we can get instrument time to meet the needs of everyone.  If an agreeable mediation cannot be reached, the final decision will be made by the Core Director regarding times.