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CurieCoreTech
Presentation
Cytometry is a powerful technological approach for measuring at high throughput different phenotypic, functional or structural aspects at single cell resolution within complex samples.
The Cytometry Platform of Institut Curie CYTPIC thus offers internal and external users suitable solutions based on cutting-edge technologies as conventional, spectral, image and spatial cytometry applied to the study of circulating biomarkers, extracellular vesicles, cells and tissues
Our activities
CYTPIC distributed across three sites (Paris, Orsay and St Cloud) is attached to the Curie Core Tech department of the Institut Curie Research Center and offers resources and expertise in cytometry for research in Life Sciences. It serves a community of local and national biologists, academic and industrial, of more than 300 users per year. CYTPIC equipment is used for 10,000+ hours per year, and the platform is labeled IBiSA since 2021and certified ISO 9001 and NFX 50-900 (Paris & Orsay) since 2024.
Our missions
The major missions of the cytometry platform aim to guarantee operational excellence, data quality and continuous innovation. We are committed to maintaining state-of-the-art equipment, training staff regularly and following the highest quality standards. Equitable access to users, data confidentiality and the development of interdisciplinary collaborations are also at the heart of our objectives. We strive to adapt our services to the needs of researchers and promote cutting-edge research in the field of cytometry.
Our objectives
Reviewed every 3 years, our objectives will be achieved thanks to a strategy based on technological innovation, by new equipment, new data analysis approaches and by the expertise and professionalism of the platform staff in compliance with regulations.
For further information, please contact: cytometrie@curie.fr
Publications
Nature Communications - 26/11/2024
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Nature Cancer - 12/01/2024
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Journal of Extracellular Vesicles - 01/12/2023
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Nature Communications - 01/08/2023
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Nature Communications - 17/04/2023
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Cell Reports Methods - 01/11/2022
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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - 26/04/2022
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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - 26/10/2021
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Journal of Clinical Investigation - 19/01/2021
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Angiogenesis - 01/11/2020
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Intensive Care Medicine - 01/10/2020
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Life of the team
CYTPIC Workshop - Monday, January 19th 2026
FlowJo Training/hands on
The cytometry platform is organizing a training/hands on for FlowJo software in the BDD amphitheater (BDD building-11 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris) on January 19th 2026. The day presented by Serena Di Cecilia will be divided into two sessions as detailed below. You have the possibility to come with your laptop and flowjo installed on it (demo version) to practice in real time.
Register at: https://forms.office.com/r/52V1f77jPA
Session details :
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Basics of data analysis- Introduction to FlowJo™ v11 Software
Navigating the v11 Workbench
Analysis tree
Metadata Manager
Sample quality check
Compensation
Graphs and Gatings
Tables
Charts
Reports
Advanced features (Xshift, tSNE)
1:30 PM - 4:00 PM | Advanced high Dimensional data analysis in FlowJo™ v10 Software
High Dimensional data analysis
The FlowJo Plugins
Quality Check plugins: (FlowAI, FlowClean, PeacoQC)
Reduce Dimensionality, tSNE, UMAP, TriMap, PacMAP
Exploring Deeper: Euclid, Hyperfinder, cluster explorer, ViolinBox, MEM
Automated clustering : FlowSOM, XShift,
Phenograph
Demonstration
PRESENTED BY:
Serena Di Cecilia, PhD
Software Solution Manager, EMEA
BD Biosciences
AFC Annual Meeting 2025
CYTPIC will be present at the AFC annual meeting that will take place on Dijon, France on november 26, 27 and 28.
Feel free to come and visit us during our poster sessions or at one of our conferences !
CYTPIC New spectral Cytometers in Paris and Orsay
2 new spectral Aurora Evo cytometers at CYTPIC
We are pleased to announce the arrival of two new spectral cytometers within our Cytometry platform, one in Orsay and one in Paris. Equipped with 5 lasers (355nm, 405nm, 488nm, 561nm and 640nm), they allow detection of more than 40+ markers, with an improved sample throughput (up to 200 µl/min) and plate loader 96-(deep) well to 384-well plate, 40-tube rack (12 x 75 mm).
CYTPIC Workshop - 12 juin 2024
Spectral and Imaging Flow Cytometry Day
Dear All,
To follow the new investments in our laboratory, the CYTPIC (Cytometry Platform of the Institut Curie) is pleased to invite you to a seminar day sponsored by Cytek and entitled:
SPECTRAL AND IMAGING FLOW CYTOMETRY DAY - You will find the program enclosed.
The day will take place on Wednesday June 12, 2024 in Institut Curie, Constant Burg Amphitheater, Lhomond Building, 12 rue Lhomond, 75005 Paris.
Registration is free but required before June 01st ! : https://forms.office.com/e/L4W2H5SEyM
For more information, please contact cytometrie@curie.fr.
CYTPIC General Assembly 2024 - 22 février 2024
General Assembly
Dear CYTPIC users,
Please find here the invitation to the General Assembly of the Cytometry Platform which will take place on February 22, 2024 at 10 a.m. by Teams (ID de la réunion : 318 355 794 319 ; Code secret : DEfFAN ).
May I ask you to please complete this short anonymous questionnaire before February 20th so that we can use the results as a basis for discussion: https://forms.office.com/e/L34qVsda7t?origin=lprLink.
It will also be an opportunity to discuss the past, present and future!
Thank you for your help and participation.
Hands-on Workshop - 7 février 2024
Single Extracellular Vesicles analysis
Dear Colleagues,
The French Society of Extracellular Vesicles (FSEV) and the French Association of Cytometry (AFC) are pleased to announce that their first joint Hands-on Workshop: "Single Extracellular Vesicles analysis" will be held from Wednesday, February 7th to Friday, February 9th, 2024 at FIAP Jean Monnet in Paris (France).
The workshop will be organized as follow over 3 days and attendance capacity will be limited to 60:
An afternoon dedicated to an overview of the fundamental and technological challenges in the study of extracellular vesicles by academic experts.
A full day with practical sessions divided into 4 slots of 2 hours where each company will allow groups of 6 people to manipulate directly their device and to test the reference material of the company and batches of calibrated vesicles. A description of each workshop is available here.
A Morning dedicated to the analysis and the discussion of the results on each technology.
Upgrade - 31 janvier 2024
Aurora Upgrades - 561 nm laser & plate reader
Dear users,
The CYTPIC is pleased to inform you that we will be upgrading our Aurora spectral cytometer to increase its capabilities.
This will take place in two steps:
- end of January: addition of a 561 nm laser, to increase the number of detection channels.
- March-April: addition of a 96-well plate reader to facilitate acquisitions.
Do not hesitate to come back to me or to the platform in case of questions or needs related to these upgrades.
AFC Annual Meeting 2023
CYTPIC will be present at the AFC annual meeting:
Toulouse and the Occitanie Region are pleased to host the 26th congress of the French Cytometry Association (AFC) which will take place on November 15, 16 and 17, 2023 at the Pierre Baudis Congress Center. Many practical workshops will also be organized on November 14, led by local and national cytometrists.
Don’t hesitate to come visit us during the poster sessions or at one of our talks!
CYTPIC Workshop - 8 septembre 2023
FlowJo Training/hands on
The cytometry platform is organizing a training/hands on for FlowJo software in the BDD amphitheater (Institut Curie Paris) on September 8, 2023. The day presented by Serena Di Cecilia (Treestar/Becton Dickinson) will be divided into two sessions as detailed below. You have the possibility to come with your laptop and flowjo installed on it (demo version) to practice in real time.
Registration is free but mandatory via the following link: https://forms.office.com/e/ku0EL5nSy0
FlowJo Training agenda:
Basic: 9:30-12:30
Navigating the v10 Workspace; Customizing Ribbons; Preferences (customize fonts, gating, cytometer setting, computer performance); Creating and Editing Groups; Keywords; Sample quality check and exclusion gates; Graphs, Gating and Ancestry; The Layout Editor; Batching and Exporting Graphics; The Table Editor and Exporting Statistics; Compensation; Demonstration.
Advanced: 2:00-4:00
High Dimensional data analysis; The FlowJo Plugins; Installation; Quality Check plugins: (FlowAI, FlowClean); Reduce Dimensionality, tSNE, UMAP, TriMap; Automated clutering and more : FlowSOM, x-shift, Phenograph; Exploring Deeper: Hyperfinder, cluster explorer, ViolinBox; Demonstration.
CYTPIC Newcomer - 17 juillet 2023
New Research Engineer
CYTPIC is pleased to announce the arrival of Anne-Gaelle Lafont, PhD.
"Since obtaining my PhD degree in biology in 2006, I have had the opportunity to work in various fields of research. I worked mainly on aquatic models (fish, cephalopods) and on the impact of environmental factors (salinity, temperature), hormones and peptides, on the physiological regulations of these different models. I also investigated the evolution history of gene families in vertebrates. For all this, I used molecular biology, cell biology, biochemistry and in silico approaches.
In 2019, I graduated from the inter university degree “Project Manager and Investigator of Clinical Trials” at Pierre and Marie Curie University. I was then recruited as a research engineer, operational manager of the biobank of the Saint-Antoine hospital in Paris. During this contract, I notably set up the microbiology laboratory for the new activity of the Biobank dedicated to research on the Intestinal Microbiota.
Since the 17th of July, I have joined the Paris Cytometry Plateform of the Curie Institute.
Anne-Gaelle Lafont."
CYTPIC Upgrade - 13 juillet 2023
Chromium iX
The Cytometry Platform of the Institut Curie (CYTPIC) is happy to announce the upgrade of our Chromium Controller to the Chromium iX at the site of Orsay thanks to the Initiative Single Cell (NGS platform) and the support of U1021, UMR3348 and the Research Center.
The Chromium iX, based on NextGEM technology, is a microfluidic instrument for isolating cells or cell nuclei from a suspension (biological sample) for transcriptomic, proteomic and/or epigenetic analysis in NGS at the scale of single cells or nuclei.
The Chromium iX supports new 10X solutions (RNA Fixed, and more to come). Possible and non-exhaustive applications:
- Single Cell Gene Expression on all types of fresh or fixed cells.
- Characterization of accessible regions of chromatin (ATAC) at single nucleus scale, possible in combination with gene expression on single cells or nuclei.
- Amplification of VDJ sequences in fresh human and murine T and B lymphocytes for single-cell immune profiling of test organisms.
SEMINAR 2 :
Second seminar will be co-organized with ThermoFisher on June 21st from 10am to 11am in Amphithéatre Marie Curie.
Procartaplex: Detect and quantify simultaneoulsy multiple proteins (up to 80) in a single sample, using the Luminex xMAP technology. Combine multipexing efficacy with Elisa easiness, sensitivity,
precision and reproducibility. www.thermofisher.com/procartaplex
Branched DNA (bDNA): A unique approach allowing RNA detection by using successive nucleic acids hybridization
and signal amplification.
QuantiGene®plex assays: Detect and quantify multiple RNA in one sample. No need to extract or purify , no need to check RNA quality (up to 80 targets). Work on degraded samples.
Combine Branched DNA principle with Luminex® xMAP® technology.
CYTPIC Seminar - 19 juin 2023
Seminar on Multiplexing technologies for proteins assays 1/2
Cytometry platform is pleased to organize two consecutive seminars on multiplexing technologies for protein assays compatible with our Bioplex instrument already available on the Paris site.
SEMINAR 1 :
The first seminar will be co-organized with Merck on June 19th from 1pm to 2pm in Amphithéatre Marie Curie.
Cytometry Platform of Institut Curie & Luminex : An immunoassay Platform Solution that can empower Immuno-Oncology breakthroughs
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to learn on how the Immunoassay Platform Solutions (IPS) available within the Cytometry Platform of Institut Curie can empower research into Immuno-oncology.
During this session, Merck will deep dive into their comprehensive IPS portfolio, presenting the power of the MILLIPLEX ® multiplex cancer assays compatible with Luminex technology already available within the Cytometry Platform. This multiplex solution allows up to 100 ELISA at once with high consistency, high-quality results while saving time, labor and cost.
Join us and see how these technology can help drive breakthroughs in cancer research.
Technologies and Instruments
Conventionnal, spectral and imaging cytometry
CYTPIC has conventional flow cytometers based on the use of fixed monochromatic excitation sources and collection of maximum emissions using BP filters whose signal visualization is adjusted by compensations. Allowing the measurement of 1 to 27 parameters simultaneously, some instruments are thermostatically controlled and can be associated with a plate reader allowing high throughput screening.
Spectral cytometry is a powerful technology used to characterize complex systems. After excitation by all the lasers present in the instrument, the emission of the fluorochrome is collected in multiple detectors with fine and consecutive BP optical filters. The distinction of fluorochromes with similar optical properties is made possible thanks to the deconvolution of their unique spectral signatures distinct from autofluorescence.
To complete its instrument offer and increase its analysis power, CYTPIC is equipped with an image cytometer. This instrument is a bridge between microscopy and cytometry allowing to measure the intensity of fluorescence but also to evaluate the localization of the fluorescence within the single cell in suspension.
The quantification of parameters such as (co-)localization, morphological changes or even cell-cell interactions on hundreds of thousands of cells gives great statistical power of analysis.
For further information, please contact: cytometrie@curie.fr
Cell sorting, barcoding & biomarkers
Cell sorting is a method for physically isolating targeted cells based on their morphology and fluorescence characteristics within a heterogeneous mixture. Cell sorting allows a large number of downstream applications, such as cell culture, molecular and cellular analysis or cloning of individual cells. Our instruments have the ability to collect cells in bulk (up to 4 populations simultaneously) or in single cells (plate up to 384 wells).
Cellular barcoding is based on a microfluidic instrument making it possible to isolate cells or nuclei from a suspension (biological sample) for transcriptomic, proteomic and/or epigenetic analysis by NGS.
The CYTPIC platform has a flexible and reliable automation system dedicated to the study of biomarkers (proteins and nucleic acids) which allows the multiplexing of up to 100 biomolecules in a single sample. It offers automation of reading in 96-well plates, producing up to 9,600 data points per run.
For further information, please contact: cytometrie@curie.fr
Spatial Omics with tissues
CYTPIC offers an ultra-high throughput, large capacity (360 slides) brightfield slide scanner with 20x and 40x objective and fast scanning time which makes it suitable for clinical and research activities.
CYTPIC has a high-resolution, whole-slide multimodal spectral imaging instrument. A combination of simultaneous and quantitative immunofluorescences (up to 17 fluorescences at the same time) coupled with brightfield imaging (Ex: H&E) allows spatial biology studies and robust quantification of biomarkers. Beyond the identification of subpopulations of cells, this approach provides information on the spatial location of the subpopulations identified within the tissue, their proximity to each other and the interactions with the extra-cellular matrix, blood vessels and other tissue components.
To strengthen tissue proteomic analysis, CYTPIC is also equipped with a single cell spatial imaging instrument for transcriptomic analysis. The latter seamlessly integrates the workflow of transcripts detection, high-resolution imaging, decoding and analysis of onboard data. Using multimodal cell segmentation, this instrument can analyze 472 mm² of tissue per cycle, targeting up to 480 genes in less than 3 days or up to 5,000 genes in less than 6 days.
Segmentation, QC and spatial data analysis solutions developed with the Bioinfomatics platform are available.
For further information, please contact: cytometrie@curie.fr
Instruments
Site CYTPIC : Paris (P), Orsay(O), St Cloud (SC)
- Conventionnal Analyzers
BD LSR Fortessa: up to 18 colors. 5 lasers: 355 nm, 405 nm, 488 nm, 532 nm and 638 nm. Reading in tubes (5ml or micronics) – P, O, SC
BC Cytoflex LX: up to 19 colors 5 lasers: 375nm, 405nm, 488nm, 561nm and 638nm. Reading in tubes (5ml) and 96-well plate (round or V-bottom) - P
Biorad ZE5: up to 27 colors 5 lasers: 355nm, 405nm, 488nm, 561nm and 638nm. Reading in tubes (5 ml, 2 ml and 1.5 ml) and 96-well plates (round bottom and bottom V), 384-well plates and deepwell 96 wells - P
- Spectral Analyzers
Cytek Aurora: 35 colors. 4 lasers: 355 nm, 405 nm, 488 nm and 640 nm. Reading in tubes (5ml and micronics). Plate loader – P, SC
Cytek Aurora Evo : 43 colors. 5 lasers : 355 nm, 405 nm, 488 nm, 561 nm et 640 nm. Reading in tubes (5ml and micronics) – P, O
- Imaging Analyzer
ImageStream X MKII (IMSX) 10 colors, 2 light fields. 4 lasers: 405 nm, 488 nm, 561 nm and 638 nm. Magnifications: 20x, 40x and 60x.- P
- Conventionnal Sorters
BD Aria IIIu up to 11 colors. 4 lasers: 405 nm, 488 nm, 561 nm and 640 nm. Collection: maximum 4 sorting channels for 5 ml, 2 ml and 1.5 ml tubes, 2 sorting channels maximum for 15 ml tubes, sorting in plates from 6 wells to 96 wells, sorting on slides. Available sorting index – O
BD Aria Fusion up to 18 colors. 5 lasers: 355 nm, 405 nm, 488 nm, 561 nm and 640 nm. Collection: 4 sorting channels maximum for tubes 1.5 ml, 2ml and 5ml, 2 sorting channels maximum for 15ml tubes, sorting in plates 6 wells to 96 wells, sorting on slides. Available sorting index - P
Sony SH800 up to 6 colors, 4 collinear lasers: 405nm, 488nm, 561nm and 638nm. Collection: 2 sorting channels in tubes (1.5 ml, 2ml, 5 ml and 15 ml) and in plates from 6 to 384 wells. Available sorting index – P
Beckman Coulter Cytoflex SRT up to 12 colors. 3 lasers: 405 nm, 488 nm and 561 nm. Collection: 4 sorting channels maximum for tubes 5ml, 2 sorting channels maximum for 15ml tubes, sorting in plates 96 wells to 384 wells - P
- Spectral Sorters
Cytek Aurora CS up to 43 couleurs. 5 lasers : 355 nm, 405 nm, 488 nm, 561 nm et 640 nm. Collection: 6 sorting channels maximum for tubes 1.5 ml, 2ml and 5ml, 2 sorting channels maximum for 15ml tubes, sorting in plates 96 and 384 wells. Available sorting index – P, SC
- Barcoders
10x Genomic Chromium iX Controller, dispenser and barcoder single cell – O, SC
- Slides Scanner
Hamamatsu Nanozoomer S360: Slides scanner up to 360 slides/run, magnification 20x, 40x, Brightfiled (~30 slides /h with 20x) - P
- Spatial Omics
Rarecyte Orion jup to 20 color. 9 lasers : 405nm, 445nm, 470nm, 520nm, 555nm, 640nm et 730nm. Magnifications : 4x, 10x, 20x et 40x - P
10x Xenium up to 2 slides per cycle. 472 mm² of tissu per cycle, up to 480 genes < 3 days or up to 5 000 genes < 6 days - P
For further information, please contact: cytometrie@curie.fr
Expertise & Synergy
Prestation & Innovations
Before any service, this CYTPIC Policy must be accepted by the User and the Investigator via the OpenIris platform. The User has to provide a certificate of training for work in a level 2 containment laboratory. For academics, service is agreed directly between the interested parties. For manufacturers, a contract must be formalized directly with the Department of Valorization and Intellectual Property (DVPI) of the Institut Curie prior to any service.
CYTPIC is a platform to which the Investigator and the User can have access either as part of a Prestation provision or as part of an Innovation provision. This access can therefore be translated according to the terms of use predefined between the User, the Investigator and CYTPIC:
A Prestation when the User, in agreement with the Investigator, benefits from CYTPIC instrumentation and expertise through an autonomous or assisted service;
An Innovation when the User, in agreement with the Investigator, benefits from CYTPIC's expertise for the development of innovative solutions as part of a collaboration or proof of concept (Proof-Of- POC concept).
For further information, please contact: cytometrie@curie.fr
Institutionnal synergy
Single Cell Initiative : At the Institut Curie research center, four technological platforms of the CurieCoreTech (Next Generation Sequencing Platform (NGS ICGEX), Custom Single Cell Omics, Cytometry and Bioinformatics ) have decided to join forces and create the Single Cell Initiative. This structuring program aims to coordinate and share resources to optimize the services and developments of Single Cell technologies for the scientific community.
Cell Action: Cell and gene therapy platform, and in particular CAR-T (chimeric antigen receptor) cells. CellAction (Cell Therapy Acceleration and Innovation) is a platform of the Paris-Saclay Cancer Cluster (PSCC) opening at the Institut Curie in 2024.
Extracellular Vesicles Platform : This platform offers its expertise in the isolation and characterization of extracellular vesicles, based in part on cytometry, following the recommendations of the International Society of Extracellular Vesicles.
Experimental Pathology and Clinical Immunology: both services are integrated into the PMDT, Pôle de Médecine Diagnostique et Théranostique of the Hospital and collaborate with CYTPIC.
For further information, please contact: cytometrie@curie.fr
Contact
Team and locations
