Non Technical Abstract The primary objective of this project is to acquire a BioSorter (Union Biometrica) for the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). The BioSorter is a unique large-particle flow cytometer that rapidly sorts objects based on patterns of fluorescence or fluorescence intensity, including objects that are too large or fragile for standard flow cytometry. The BioSorter enables automated high-throughput sorting of organisms such as free-living and parasitic worms; fly embryos and larvae; and stem cells, other mammalian cells, and cell clusters. The rapid and precise sorting capabilities of the BioSorter enable screening strategies that will greatly expand the scope and impact of diverse research and education programs at UCLA. The BioSorter will be operated as a core facility on the UCLA campus. Research and training programs that will utilize the BioSorter span the fields of parasitology, neurobiology, developmental biology, biochemistry, genetics, toxicology, and stem cell biology.
The BioSorter will be used by students of all levels (high school, undergraduate, and graduate) for cutting-edge research and training. Research programs enabled by the BioSorter include: studies of how human-parasitic worms locate hosts to infect; studies of how environmental toxins affect the reproductive system; studies of stem cell development and differentiation; studies of the molecular and cellular basis of molting; studies of natural variation in populations; studies of the role of stem cells in neural circuit function; studies of mammalian germline function; and studies of brain neurochemistry. Education programs enabled by the BioSorter include: introductory and advanced research training courses for undergraduate students using fruit fly genetics and development as a model system, and a summer research program for students from local high schools. We expect at least 135 undergraduate students and 12 high school students to use the BioSorter each year. Use of the BioSorter in research training courses will expose students to cutting-edge technology and greatly enhance their training experience.
