BD FACS Jazz™ Install

New gear and the New year..

So, its been a while since I added anything to this blog and thought it about time to fill you all in on the facility changes, my new job and the continuing awesomeness of the MLC Community Foundation Flow Cytometry Facility at the Garvan Institute

First up, the new guy. We were fortunate enough to have one exceptional applicant in our latest round of offers looking for our newest Flow Cytometrist in the community, Mr David Snowden. David joined us earlier this year from UTS where completed his degree in Forensic Science. With all aims to continue studying, and being accepted into a Masters of Biomedical Engineering, David saw the light, put the Masters on hold, and focused on the job at hand and completely immerse himself in the Flow world. In the last few months David has excelled in his performance as an operator and is showing true signs of commitment to the field and we are super lucky to have him at the Garvan, and in the industry as a whole. Thanks for everything mate and all the best in the years to come. Special thanks to Nikki for doing such a smashing job on not only keeping up with the huge number of bookings and sorts we do every week, but to find the time to train, support and teach David. I definitely could not have done the last 2 years with out you..this post is starting to sound suspiciously like a farewell..

Secondly, the new gear. BD FACS Jazz™. Brent, UC Flow and pretty much everyone that has worked on one of these little bad boys was right..we LOVE it!! Amazing little Flow Cytometer and perhaps the best thing on the market at the moment. We are blown away by its size, accuracy, modularity, design, software, speed and purity, its a screamer! 2 way sorting off 8 parameters at its absolute best, here are some pics of the install to keep you up to speed should you ever be fortunate enough to install one in  your lab.

Crate arrives, out come the crowbars

The BD FACS Jazz™

The trolley of accessories! Christmas came early!

2 men easily lift it on the bench

Approved and in place

Organising a table for the electronic components

FSC, SSC, 4 off the blue and 2 off the red

640nm comes installed and mounted on an angle for polarisation

Computers hookup

Pressure is digitally regulated, likewise sample offset is linked to sheath pressure

488nm is mounted, practically aligned by itself. 

Brent - the machining and design of this is incredible as usual - thanks so much!

New BD service engineer inspects the optics

Computers are hooked, software is launched

A very familiar nozzle assembly starts to take shape

Front view of instrument

Digitally processed images of the familiar Influx windows

488nm and 640nm hit the scatter bar

Influx and Jazz side by side in the lab

The workstation - cosy!

Red and blue tweaking

8 peak Rainbows on the R660 and R780 channels on BD FACS Jazz™

8 peak Rainbows on the R660 and R780 channels on BD Influx™

There you have it, installed and ready to go.

We 2-way sorted the second day post install and we are most impressed. I had the entire side panel off and was in looking at the electronics, super compact! I discovered that there may be some room to move on modifications with this instrument, after all.. it is an Influx right?

Thanks so much BD, Cytopeia, Brent, Ger, all the team in Seattle, all the guys in San Jose, Darren, Adam, Christine, Marlene, Andrew, all the team and most importantly Sladjan for always getting us up an running and most of all thanks to the Garvan Board of Directors for funding us! John and Cherry, you are truly amazing. I have not once received a 'no' from either of you and I can't thank you enough for that.

I am signing off the garvanflow blogspot and twitter feed and will commence again under a new banner when I take up my new position as Flow Cytometry Scientist at The Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre of University of New South Wales on January 3rd. David will keep up the posts and keep you all informed of the upgrades, changes and happenings here in the MLC Flow Cytometry Facility at the Garvan Institute.

Finally, I would like to welcome Mr Robert Salomon and wish him all the best in his new role as Manager, Flow Cytometry. Congrats mate and all the best for the year ahead

Until next time, yours truly

Chris Brownlee