Safety

The BD FACS Aria-III is housed within the CL3 laboratory at the CIV which allows us to sort cells from samples infected with Hazard Group 3 pathogens. The Imperial College London Biosafety team has approved cell sorting of samples infected with : human immunodeficiency viruses type 1 and 2 (HIV-1, HIV-2), human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV-1, HTLV-2), hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), drug-sensitive mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and SARS-CoV-2 within the purpose built class II MSC. The approval reference for this is Activity I.D.: IC-5245 v1. Additional information is available from the CL3 Manager Dominic Smith.

Please note that we can only sort these samples - if a user wishes to sort a sample infected with any other pathogen this will first need to be discussed with the Facility Manager Parisa Amjadi and the CL3 Manager Dominic Smith who will, in turn, discuss this with the Imperial College Biosafety Team.

The sorter is only to be operated by the Facility Manager Parisa Amjadi who has extensive experience of live cell sorting at CL2 and CL3 and is authorised to handle samples at CL3. Samples will be sorted according to the BD user manual and following the CIV CL3 Cell Sorting SOP. All manipulations and handling of infected samples will follow the approved CL3 COP.

Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the enquiring user to first contact Parisa Amjadi regarding sorting of samples. Once sorting has been agreed the user will need to provide a risk assessment which will be reviewed by Parisa Amjadi and the CL3 Laboratory Manager Dominic Smith. Once approval of the risk assessment has been made then the user may liaise with Parisa Amjadi to book a sorting slot.

Please note: sorting will not be booked without a risk assessment approval.

It is the responsibility of the user to arrange an approved courier to transport samples to and from the CIV CL3. The Department for Transport (DfT) has approved City Sprint and World Courier for the shipment of category A and category B samples.