The Purdue Flow Cytometry Shared Resource (FC-SR) provides advanced cell and particle analysis, cell sorting and single cell genomic capabilities to members of the Purdue University Center for Cancer Research (PCCR). The FC-SR has made major improvements to the facility in terms of equipment, expert personnel and data analysis software. This has allowed the Shared Resource to expand its efforts to provide more cancer researchers with economical and effective access to- and training in- the highly specialized and increasingly sophisticated technologies driving modern advances in cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. Flow cytometry is an analytical tool that uses optical measures to allow users to identify and quantitate cellular features, organelles or structural components. When combined with sorting capabilities, users can identify and isolate single cells that have specific properties or express specific molecules, which can then be further examined and characterized. In cancer research, where the identification and characterization of unique, specific cells with cancer-like characteristics is critical, flow cytometry and cell sorting are vital tools for today's cancer researcher. Purdue's FC-SR provides a broad range of services that supported 40 PCCR investigators' research projects and trained 113 PCCR students and postdoctoral fellows between July 2015 and January 2018. The FC-SR, located in the Bindley Bioscience Center (BBC) of Discovery Park, has continued to expand its technical expertise and instrument capabilities. In 2015, with support from an NIH S10 Shared Instrument Grant, the FC-SR obtained a 5-laser, 18-color BD LSR Fortessa flow cytometer designed to complement the workhorse 5-laser BD FACS Aria Cell Sorter. The growing number of new cancer research faculty at Purdue created an increased demand for live cell sorting of mouse and human cells in biosafety level 2 (BSL-2) conditions. To meet this need, in 2018, the PCCR contributed to the purchase of two additional state-of-the-art cell sorters: a 5-laser BD FACS Aria Fusion and a 4-laser, high-speed BC MoFlo Astrios. The PCCR was also instrumental in the development of the FC-SR's single-cell, genome and transcriptome capabilities, through the acquisition of a Fluidigm C1 system and a 10x Chromium system. The data analysis capabilities of the facility have also continued to grow, with the addition of FCS Express and FlowJo site licenses. Perhaps the most important resource provided by the FC-SR is the expertise that the staff shares. Many of the FC-SR's clients have little, if any, experience conducting cytometry analysis or designing cell sorting or single-cell genomics experiments. In the absence of the FC-SR and its experienced staff, these investigators would have tremendous difficulty in generating cytometry data necessary for competitive external funding.
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