Flow cytometry has a reputation in the pathology community for being hard to learn, hard to understand and hard to use. This mostly comes from a lack of understanding of a few basic principles.
In diagnostic laboratories we sometimes have a tendency to focus training on performance of diagnostic assays so that a staff member may be rapidly useful in the lab. This can come at the cost of a deeper understanding of the principles of the how and the why we are performing the assay. This also comes at the cost of being able to work with potentially complex patients, troubleshoot issues and also to be able to innovate and develop new applications.
In reality, flow cytometry is a simple tool that can be applied to solve extremely complex problems, if we know the right questions to ask. This presentation aims to give a clear understanding of basic principles to provide a solid foundation to any new cytometrist and is presented through the lens of what it means to work in a diagnostic laboratory.