This is an intensive, highly interactive, virtual course equipped to give you the basic knowledge to enable you to run a core facility effectively. There will be tips and tricks throughout from experienced experts in the area. It is geared towards all levels, from those experienced in running a core lab to those looking to move in to and develop a career within core facilities/shared resource labs.  The course will cover the fundamentals behind the development and running a core lab, this will include:

·  Managing staff (grades, performance reviews, example track records)

·  Finance (Charging, Budgets and Forecasting)

·  Booking (auditing and billing)

·  Training and recording (T&C’s, records, small group, one-to-one etc)

·  QA (monitoring/logging/frequency)

·  Managing User Expectations

·  How to Win Funds and much more!

The course is split over three days, and most aspects will be interactive and with plenty of discussion time. The course tutors represent light microscopy, electron microscopy, flow cytometry and general core facilities with an oversight that includes Proteomics, Metabolomics, Genomics, Bioinformatics, Molecular Interactions/Biophysics, Protein Production.

This will be a two day course for a maximum of 20 facility managers.


Scientific Organisers

  • Derek Davies

    Mr Derek Davies

    Flow Cytometry Section Vice Chair

    The Francis Crick Institute
    Derek is the National Science Technology Platform (STP) Training Lead at the Francis Crick Institute in London where his role is to develop Educational and Training courses to support Biomedical Research in the UK and beyond. He co-organises the section’s annual flow cytometry course at the University of York and is active in promotion of cytometry via focussed meetings and other courses. He is one of the principal organisers of the flowcytometryUK biennial meeting and also the Advances in Cytometry Meeting. Derek is particularly keen to promote cytometry education within the UK and beyond.

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    Joanne Marrison

    University of York

  • Peter O'Toole

    Dr Peter O'Toole

    RMS Vice President

    University of York
    Peter heads the Imaging and Cytometry Labs within the Technology Facility at the University of York which includes an array of confocal microscopes, flow cytometers and electron microscopes. Peter gained his PhD in the Cell Biophysics Laboratory at the University of Essex and has been involved in many aspects of fluorescence imaging. Research is currently focused on both technology and method development of novel probes and imaging modalities. 

    Peter has ongoing collaborations with many leading microscopy and cytometry companies and his group also provides research support to many academics and commercial organisations. Peter is also heavily involved with teaching microscopy and flow cytometry which includes organising and teaching on both the RMS Light Microscopy Summer School and the RMS Practical Flow Cytometry courses.

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    Dr Alex Sossick

    University of Cambridge
    Alex heads the Imaging Facility at the Gurdon Institute, which includes a variety of microscopy techniques including confocal, high throughput and deconvolution. He is keen to raise the level of microscopy understanding and application, and runs and takes part in various microscopy courses.

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    Dr Natasha Stephen

    University of Plymouth
    Natasha is a Lecturer in Advanced Analysis (Earth & Planetary Sciences) within the School of Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences at Plymouth University, and assists with the management & development of Plymouth Electron Microscopy Centre; the university’s flagship, multidisciplinary analytical suite. She completed her PhD at Imperial College London & the Natural History Museum London in 2014, focusing on the geology & surface mineralogy of Mars, and moved to Plymouth University straight afterwards. Natasha’s research focuses primarily on the use of meteorites to ground-truth spacecraft data at Mars (including Mars rovers and orbiters) as well as asteroids (Vesta, Itokawa etc.), by using various non-destructive analytical techniques. Natasha manages the Plymouth Planets research group, is an avid public speaker, heavily engaged in outreach activities, and an active member of the Meteoritical Society & Royal Astronomical Society.