CORE D- The Flow Cytometry (FC) Core is a centralized, shared resource that significantly enhances the research capabilities of HIV investigators. In addition to providing solid support to the funded projects of established investigators, a primary objective of the FC Core is to provide the scientific environment and material resources to enable emerging investigators to apply flow cytometry technology to their developmental projects and to encourage established investigators to initiate innovative pilot or collaborative studies. To sustain this goal, the Core will pursue three main specific aims: 1) provide a stable, centralized resource of technical expertise and major instrumentation; 2) enable, promote, and enhance multidisciplinary HIV research; and 3) train, mentor and promote career development of emerging investigators.
Aim 1 will be achieved by: maintaining a range of services for cell analysis and sorting; offering expert consultation and training in study design, optimal method applications and data interpretation; making state-of- the-art instrumentation accessible through highly skilled technician operators and an established recharge mechanism; creating economies of scale to support operations; and ensuring biosafety and data quality.
Aim 2 will be achieved by: providing a unique biocontainment cell sorting facility; identifying innovative technologies for transfer and application, and developing new methods; customizing experimental design and data analysis to individual projects; advancing new opportunities in translational and clinical research; and encouraging synergy and collaboration across CFAR cores and between diverse research groups.
Aim 3 will be achieved by: providing an interactive and supportive learning environment; teaching application of flow cytometry technology to address important questions in HIV research; offering individualized constructive feedback; and giving fiscal support to developmental and pilot research projects through provision of method protocols, research reagents and instrument time. To meet the research needs of our investigators, the FC Core facility offers the instrument services of three cell analyzers (two 3-laser FACS Cantos; a 2-laser iCyte LSC) and two high-speed cell sorters (3-laser FACS Aria II; 4-laser MoFlo XDP) to generate multi-parameter cell analyses (up to 12 colors, 14 parameters). Core operations are guided by a senior faculty Director (23+ yrs experience) and a junior faculty Leadership Trainee. Two full-time dedicated technician/operators, a lab manager (>18 yrs experience) and a licensed senior technologist (>30 yrs), provide exceptional support that is consistently viewed as highly dependable by users. To ensure services remain relevant, the Core undergoes a rigorous strategic planning process; and to accommodate an increasing number of complex service requests, it steadily upgrades infrastructure capacity and realigns technical support to meet shifts in user-initiated demands.
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