Spectral Flow Cytometry Symposium - 1st and 2nd July 2026

The Spectral Flow Cytometry Symposium has a strong focus in ensuring delegates have a highly interactive experience :

  • Listen to talks from international speakers detailing the spectral cytometry technology and analysis methods
  • Participate in hands-on workshops to explore a range of cutting-edge equipment and analysis techniques
  • Meet with technical specialists from leading flow cytometry companies, explore a range of cutting-edge equipment offered by exhibiting companies.
  • Explore an extensive exhibition featuring cutting-edge equipment from leading companies
  • Enjoy great food throughout the symposium and connect with the community – plus an evening social on 1st July

 

Invited speakers:

Sarah Bonte - VIB-UGent, Belgium

"Workflows for comparing spectral flow cytometry data across multiple technologies"

Jessica Back - Wayne State University, USA

"A Robust Pairing: Spectral Cytometry and High Parameter Imaging"

Ruth Barnard - GSK, UK

"Necessity is the Mother of Innovation: Spectral Flow Cytometry in a GCP Laboratory"

Thomas Hayday - IMU Biosciences, UK

"Mapping the Future of Medicine: Using Spectral Cytometry and AI to Decode the Human Immune System"

Florian Mair - ETH Zurich, Switzerland

"Elucidating the complexity of spread in the era of 50-color spectral cytometry"

Bartek Rajwa - Purdue University, USA

"First principles of panel quality: a unified statistical foundation for spectral cytometry metrics”

Andy Riddell - Francis Crick Institute, UK

"Cytometry: What Has Changed, What Hasn’t, and What It Means for Expertise"

Booking via EventBrite

 

Before You Unmix: A Beginner’s Introduction to Spectral Flow course

Course tutors: Rachael Walker and Derek Davies

30th June 2026 – 13:00-17:00

If you’re new to spectral flow cytometry, this half‑day course is the perfect place to begin. We’ll break down the essentials in a simple, friendly way — no jargon, no assumptions, no overwhelm. Together, we’ll explore what “full spectrum” really means, why spectral flow works differently from conventional flow, and how unmixing transforms raw data into something you can actually interpret.

Whether you’re taking this session as a standalone introduction or using it to get comfortable before diving into the symposium, you’ll leave with a clear understanding of the core concepts, the confidence to follow more advanced discussions, and the sense that spectral flow isn’t nearly as mysterious as it first appears. Think of it as the smooth on‑ramp to the spectral highway — helping you feel prepared, empowered, and ready to get the most out of everything that follows.

· Gain a clear understanding of the principles behind full‑spectrum detection.

· Learn how fluorochrome signatures contribute to unmixing.

· Identify the key reference controls required for reliable spectral experiments.

· Interpret simple spectral plots and unmixing outcomes.

· Enter the symposium with a solid, foundational understanding of the terminology and workflows.

Symposium Workshops

Thanks to the unique set up at the Babraham Institute, the Symposium is able to offer interactive workshops on a range of commercially available spectral cytometers.

A brand new selection of workshop sessions will be offered to delegates in 2026. Each delegate will be able to choose 4 workshops to attend over the two days. Delegates will be emailed 2 weeks before the Symposium and asked to select their workshop choices.

This year the Symposium's workshops will include a range of practical and classroom based topics.

Lab-based practicals will be offered on the following instruments:

  • BD FACSDiscover S8 Spectral and Imaging Sorter
  • Cytek Aurora CS Spectral Sorter
  • Thermo Fisher Bigfoot Spectral Sorter
  • Sony ID7000 Spectral Analyser
  • Cytek Aurora EVO Spectral Analyser
  • Thermo Fisher Attune Xenith Spectral Analyser
  • Beckman Coulter CytoFLEX mosaic Spectral Analyser
  • Challenbio CytoStellar Spectral Analyser
  • Aglient Opteon Spectral Analyser

Classroom based workshops : To be announced

Symposium break out

This event is kindly sponsored by:

 

sponsors

Our 2022 event

A one-day symposium with talks from key academic and industry speakers showcasing techniques and developments for full spectral experiments

Keynote address: Why is spectral cytometry so critical for flow cytometry? 

  • Professor J. Paul Robinson, Director of Cytometry Laboratories and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at Purdue University, USA

Leveraging novel fluorophore technologies to enable flexible and higher dimensional immune profiling by spectral flow cytometry

  • Dr Seddon Thomas, Thermo Fisher Scientific

Full Spectrum Profiling (FSP)™ – Best Practices and Tools to High Parameter Panel Design Success

  • Dr Adam Davison, Cytek BioSciences

Do more with less: improving high parameter cytometry through overnight staining

  • Dr Oliver Burton, Babraham Institute

The Secrets of Full Spectrum Panel Optimization

  • Dr Laura Ferrar Font, Malaghan Institute of Medical Research

Build your spectral intuition with maths and finger paints

  • Dr Peter Mage, Advanced Technologies Group, BD Biosciences

Back to the Future- Unleashing your cytometer’s spectral potential

  • Christopher Hall, Babraham Institute

Spectral analysis using the Sony ID7000: Tools for deeper discoveries

  • Dr Melanie Piédavent-Salomon, Sony Biotechnology

This event was kindly sponsored by:

Spectral Flow Conference Sponsor logos