CYTO 2026 Pre-Conference Courses
ISAC is excited to introduce a new professional development
initiative at CYTO 2026 ‐
Pre-Conference Courses. These in-person full-day
learning experiences provide attendees with the opportunity to build
a stronger foundation in cytometry, expand their applied knowledge,
and gain practical skills that immediately translate back to the
laboratory or core facility.
Whether you are new to the field
or working in translational, clinical, or regulated environments,
these courses are designed to elevate your expertise.
Each course offers:
- Full-day expert-led instruction
- Hands-on and interactive learning components
- CMLE credit upon course completion
Join us
Friday, June 5, 2026
9am-5pm ET (lunch provided)
Palm
Beach County Convention Center, West Palm Beach, FL
Registration opens Mid-January 2026 alongside CYTO 2026 conference registration.
- $500 ‐ ISAC Members
- $750 ‐ Non-Members
- $800 ‐ Students/SRL Jr. Staff Bundle when registering for both a course and CYTO 2026
- A 15% discount on CYTO 2026 registration is available to those who register for both a course and the CYTO Conference.
Course 1: The Fundamentals of Flow Cytometry — Principles & Applications
Course Description
Flow cytometry is a
widespread technique in the biomedical research world. It is a
single cell technology capable of measuring multiple fluorescent
analytes on thousands of cells per second. To design, run and
analyse a successful flow cytometry experiment a researcher needs
to know something about the fluorescent reagents that are used,
how the cytometer works, how to design an experiment, how to
prepare samples, and how to analyse them. This day long course
will introduce delegates to all these aspects as well as
illustrating some of the applications that flow cytometry is used
for. Delegates will also take part in interactive exercises
designed to consolidate their learning.
Instructors
Derek Davies, Cytometry Consultant, UK
Rachael Walker, Head of Flow Cytometry, Babraham Institute,
Cambridge, UK
Who Should Attend?
This course is aimed at those who are new to cytometry. Either they are about to use it in their research, or they may be a novice user with only a few months experience who wish to consolidate their knowledge. This would include technical staff, members of a SRL, postgraduate students and post-doctoral researchers in academia, BioPharma, translational, or clinical Laboratories. We aim to teach the principles of flow cytometry which will be applicable to any cytometer, no matter which manufacturer it comes from, and will be applicable to any type of experiment. We will cover both conventional and spectral flow cytometry.
Format
- The course will cover the basics of how to plan, run and analyse a flow cytometry experiment with reference to the fluorescence reagents and the cytometer used.
- Instructors will use polling software to assess knowledge.
- There will be several interactive exercises where delegates will work in small groups to solve problems with the support of the instructors.
- Delegates are encouraged to ask questions.
Syllabus
- 09:00 AM ‐ 09:30 PM — Welcome and Introduction
- 09:30 AM ‐ 10:40 PM — Fluorescence and Fluorochromes
- 10:40 AM ‐ 11:00 PM — Break
- 11:00 AM ‐ 12:00 PM — The Basics of the Flow Cytometer
- 12:00 PM ‐ 12:30 PM — Sample Preparation
- 12:30 PM ‐ 1:15 PM — Box Lunch
- 1:15 PM ‐ 2:00 PM — Experimental Design (Controls, Compensation, Unmixing)
- 2:00 PM ‐ 2:30 PM — Experimental Planning Exercise
- 2:30 PM ‐ 3:00 PM — Running the Experiment
- 3:00 PM ‐ 3:20 PM — Break
- 3:20 PM ‐ 4:15 PM — Data Analysis and Presentation
- 4:15 PM ‐ 4:45 PM — Applications of Flow Cytometry
- 4:45 PM ‐ 5:00 PM — Wrap Up & Feedback
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course delegates will:
- Understand the principles of fluorescence and how light is detected within the flow cytometer
- Be aware of how the flow cytometer makes a single cell measurements
- Appreciate the importance of experimental design and sample preparation
- Understand the principles of data analysis and presentation
- Be more aware of the range of applications that flow cytometry can be used for
- Be able to develop strategies for troubleshooting
Course 2: Translational Flow Cytometry Course
Course Description
This course will present information regarding the best practices for conducting flow cytometry testing to support translational studies (clinical trials conducted in academic labs, biopharma labs, or CRO’s) or to support clinical testing (CAP/CLIA or ISO 15189 laboratories). Instrument setup, method validation aligned with CLSI H62, data review and reporting will be covered.
Instructors
Thomas Beadnell, Eurofins Viracor BioPharma Services
Katharine Schwedhelm, Fred Hutch
Nithianandan Selliah, Cerba Research
Who Should Attend?
Academia- Labs entering in the translational space or testing
clinical trial samples.
Clinical Laboratories- Medical technologists, laboratory manager
and directors with expertise in flow cytometry seeking to expand
their knowledge of instrument and assay validation. BioPharma
(CROs and Pharma)- Scientists and analysts seeking to expand their
knowledge of instrument and assay validation.
Format
- Each section will begin with an interactive lecture where the attendees are encouraged to ask questions.
- The instructors will include polling questions during their presentations.
- Each section will end with an exercise where attendees will be assigned to groups of 3-4 people and provided a problem to solve. Instructors will circulate among the groups.
- After the exercises, each group will present a summary of their approach to solving the problem followed by a general discussion.
Syllabus
- 09:00 AM ‐ 5:00 PM
- 12:00 PM ‐ 1:00 PM — Box Lunch
Schedule TBD
-
Instrument characterization, standardization and
monitoring
This section will cover the best practices instrument setup, monitoring and troubleshooting. -
Introduction to the Method Validation Principles
This section will cover the basics of method validation as described in CLSI H62. In addition, the logistics required for successfully implementing the principles will be provided. -
Method Validation Cases Studies
During this section each instructor will present a case study of method validations along with lessons learned. -
Quality Control
This section will address- The value of quality control (QC) samples in longitudinal studies;
- How to select the appropriate QC material;
- The limitations of commercially available QC samples;
- How to establish QC ranges;
- Evaluating QC performance: Westgard Rules and Levy Jennings Plots;
- Troubleshooting QC failures.
- Be more aware of the range of applications that flow cytometry can be used for
- Be able to develop strategies for troubleshooting