Discussion

Centralisation of specialised equipment such as flow cytometers is common in many research settings as it is beneficial to pool hardware and expertise. The establishment of a core facility can be relatively easy but making it successful and able to grow is not. A successful facility must consider service provision, hardware and method development, staff development and must have a robust set of metrics to assess success or otherwise. This talk will illustrate the many strands needed in the development of a core facility from initial set-up, through the growth phase to maturity as well as highlighting the considerable benefits that centralisation can bring.