? Flow Cytometry and Cell Sorting Facility The Flow Cytometry and Cell Sorting Facility at the Abramson Cancer Center (ACC) has been continuously funded by the NCI Cancer Center Support Grant since 1981. The Facility is recognized as a worldwide leader in cytometry and cytomics and is one of the largest and most comprehensive academic flow cytometry Shared Resources in North America. A full range of cytomic services is offered including analytical cytometry of up to 30 parameters, detection and analysis of extracellular vesicles, basic and ultra-rare cell sorting, single cell multiomic analysis, computational cytomic data analysis, permanent data archive, expert consultation, and a comprehensive education program. Jonni Moore, PhD, Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine with a doctorate in immunology, has directed the Facility since 1990. She is the 2020-2022 President of the International Society for the Advancement of Cytometry (ISAC), a noted expert in deep phenotyping and extracellular vesicle cytometry, and a highly respected expert in Shared Resource operation. The leadership team also includes Thomas Williams, BS, SCYM(ASCP)CM, the new Technical Director of Operations and Client Services, with more than 30 years of Shared Resource leadership. Derek Jones, PhD, SCYM(ASCP)CM, the new Director for Research and Development, is an immunology PhD recently selected as an ISAC Shared Resource Emerging Leader. This team is supported by eight other full time-equivalent staff with an average of 15 years' experience. With cutting-edge cytomic technology and instrumentation, and extensive expertise, ACC members have access to complete experimental design and technical support, data analysis and interpretation. During the current period, the Facility continued to experience significant growth, reflecting the recent expanded interest in cell-based analysis in cancer research. ACC members accounted for 113 of 255 researchers (44%) who used the Facility during this reporting period (July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019). The Facility supported multiple high impact studies, including the elucidation of immunological and clinical response to PD-1 blockade leading to novel mechanistic insights and provoking new clinical trials (Huang et al., Nat Med, 2019; Huang et al., Nature, 2017). The success of the Facility can be attributed to several factors: hiring and retaining highly qualified staff (by creating a new career track for Shared Resource laboratory staff); constant evaluation and subsequent purchase of the most cutting-edge instrumentation; the use of satellite facilities, with 24/7 access, purposefully located near major user groups; implementation of a highly effective training program; major operational IT support (on-line scheduling, central archiving of data, site-licensing software to investigators to perform data analysis in their laboratories). This results in a highly cost-effective operation offering ACC investigators access to world class expertise in cytomics.
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