Policies and Fee Structure

Rates are based per hour and billed in 15 minute increments. Training rates are based per person, per hour.

Sorting charges will include a 1 hour setup fee for appointments 4 hours or longer, 30 minutes for appointments 1 to 4 hours, and 15 minutes for appointments up to 1 hour in length to account for our staff start-up and shut-down time.

Over-time charge: We will now be implementing an over-time charge for staff-assisted sorts that extend after normal work hours without prior scheduling. Our staff struggles to accommodate users that bring more sample(s) than are scheduled and/or arrive late. You can schedule extended-hours sorting ahead of time, but staying late to finish a sort beyond its scheduled time is at the discretion of the staff and will incur 1.5-times normal sorting rates for the overage period.  This charge may be applied to sorts ending at or after 4 PM, depending on the time scheduled and staff availability. You can avoid this charge by arriving on time and by accurately scheduling the amount of material you will bring. If you bring extra, there is no guarantee we will be able to sort everything, but we will try.

Sorting (BSL-2/2+ and BSL-3) and complex multicolor experiments should be scheduled at least one week in advance if possible, though immediate access is occasionally available.

Live, unfixed human or non-human primate specimens will be sorted in the BSL-2+ facility with UMass Chan approved screening information and IBC approval (see our Biosafety page).

Self-sorting of BSL-3 samples will be carried out in our BSL-3 cell sorting facility.

Any potentially infectious samples for sorting must be discussed with us when scheduling.

Cancellation Policy:

Sort cancellations with less than 48 hr (buisness hours) notice will incur a charge of 1.5 hrs (0.5 hr setup and 1 hr sorting).

We do not accept cancellations by email – they must be made by calling the staff at 6-3276 during business hours.

• This cancellation policy applies to core staff sorting appointments only.

• If you are able to find someone else to use your scheduled sort appointment, the cancellation fee will be waived. The new sort must fit within the scheduled or available time. 

• Although users are not charged a cancellation fee for self-use appointments, please cancel analyzer (Aurora, ZE5, Celesta, Symphony, etc) appointments and after-hours self-sorting appointments with as much notice as possible in consideration for other researchers. The core reserves the right to charge for self-use cancellations in the future if bookings are misused.