Data sharing, storage and management

Type of data storage and sharing

UCL Research Data Services enable safe storage and access for large volumes of research data. The services are available to UCL researchers, their partners and collaborators. Research Data Services offer up to 5 TB  storage space per project for free. 

Data associated with peer reviewed papers should be submitted to a publicly accessible database at the time of manuscript publication, and we have support structures in place within the facility to support users through this process.  Unpublished data are routinely backed up both within the UCL Research Data Services (UCL-RDS) facility (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/research-it-services/services/research-data-services) and also on removable storage which is held within the facility.  This ensures that data are backed up in multiple locations to mitigate chances of loss or corruption.  We work closely with UCL-RDS to ensure continued support of the facility and its users in terms of data storage, preservation and sharing. 

Support provided by the facility to aid data sharing

We have structures in place to support users to maintain high standards of data reporting which acknowledge the rapidly rising numbers of parameters in use as cytometric technology advances.  The facility management team has experience in the use of a number of structured public data repositories including FlowRepository and Immport as well as the more unstructured databases such as Mendeley. 

We are available to support users in the structuring of their data reporting to ensure that the scientific outputs from our facility are visible and transparent.

We encourage users to provide information on the following:

1. Cytometry Panel, including titration of antibodies where relevant

2. Staining protocol written as a true stepwise protocol which can be followed by an external researcher.  This should contain more detail than the standard for a paper’s Methods section and facilitate reproduction of the data if necessary 

3. All relevant FCS files.  This would include both initial Data FCS files, compensation bead FCS files, and processed, compensated data FCS files in a fluorescent flow experiment. A file key should also be provided to indicate which file is which 

4. Gating pathway.  This should be provided in diagrammatic form and ideally as a workspace file from a common cytometric analysis programme such as FlowJo.

5. Sample metadata, as relevant.  This should include characteristics such as Donor ID, Case, Control, Timepoint, etc as a minimum.  Age, gender, ethnicity and other biologically relevant data can also be included.

Data files transfer

The flow cytometry facility does not provide data storage service. All users are advised to backup up their own data and store it safe with UCL Research Data Services. The facility is not responsible for any data loss. The facility has an S shared drives called ICH_FLOW  for data transfer purpose ONLY (for data storage see above). Therefore all USB memory sticks and external hard drives are banned and shouldn't be brought and used in the facility. 

You can access both S shared drives on your computer following the instructions below:

From a PC computer:

Open this link for detailed instructions

1. Click on Start button, right click on Computer and click Map Network Drive
2. Select Drive S: from the first drop down menu and type \\ad.ucl.ac.uk\GroupFolders in the Folder box
3. Tick the box for Connect using different credentials and press Finish
4. Enter your UCL username like this: ad\sejjsxx  and your UCL password (always use ad\ before your username to log onto the shared drive)
5. Click OK; if the Shared drive folder does not open in a new window then open Windows Explorer (or from the desktop double click on Computer) and find it there
6. Make a shortcut on your desktop otherwise you need to map it each time.

From a Mac computer:

Open this link for detailed instructions

1. On Finder main menu, click on Go>Connect to Server...
2. type smb://ad.ucl.ac.uk/GroupFolders in the server address box
3. Click Connect
4. Tick Connect as Registered User
5. In Name box enter your UCL ID (Do not use ad\ prefix)
6. Enter your UCL password
7. Click Connect. You should see ICH_Flow shared drive on your Finder.

8. If you have difficulty connecting to FLOW shared drive let us know or get in touch with ICH IT Support.; if you have difficulty connecting to FACSLab shared drive contact IoO IT Support for help