Applications CFU Assay Course-UK-Spring

STEMCELL Technologies hosts an Applications CFU Assay Course at a United Kingdom training site in Spring, intended to build hands-on competency in hematopoietic Colony-Forming Unit assays. Participants receive guided instruction in plating cells in MethoCult methylcellulose-based medium, distinguishing erythroid, granulocyte, and mixed lineage colonies, and applying standardised scoring criteria after 14 days of cell culture incubation. The session covers working volume calculations, 35 mm dish handling, sterile technique under a biosafety cabinet, and inverted microscopy review of growing colonies. Laboratory staff, graduate students, and core facility personnel benefit from small cohort sizes that allow direct interaction with experienced instructors for troubleshooting and assay optimisation. All reagents, disposable plastics, and protocols are provided during the workshop so attendees can focus on technical execution rather than preparation. Topics also include quality control of progenitor cell sources, expected colony yields from cord blood, bone marrow, and mobilised peripheral blood, and documentation practices for downstream analysis. The course is offered as a single-day, in-person format with pre-registration required, and concludes with a practical assessment to reinforce learning objectives.