This request is for a BD FACSAria Fusion flow cytometer which will function as a multiuser instrument in a core facility at the Center for Inflammation, Infectious Diseases and Immunity in the Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University. The system will significantly enhance the research of five major users who are conducting NIH funded research and multiple minor users. While this cytometer will primarily be used for NIH funded research, instrument time will also be provided to new investigators and investigators seeking to obtain preliminary data for submission of an NIH grant. The Quillen College of Medicine currently has a FacsCalibur flow cytometer that was purchased in 2000; while the cytometer continues to be used extensively by the investigators participating in this application, it has limited color options and no sorting capacity. All of the College of Medicine investigators are dependent on this flow cytometer. Cytometric technology has advanced dramatically in the last several years and the research questions that we are currently asking require that we employ state-of-the-art cytometric techniques that are not available on our current instrument. We are clearly at the point where our current cytometer does not meet the needs of NIH funded investigators, many of whom require not only sorting capabilities but also an integrated biosafety cabinet to meet the requirements of bioprotection inherent in their translational studies. Furthermore, there are no flow cytometers comparable to the BD FACSAria Fusion, requested in this application, within a 200 mile radius of East Tennessee State University. Therefore, this application addresses a significant research need. The East Tennessee State University and the Quillen College of Medicine have a strong institutional commitment to the acquisition and maintenance of the flow cytometer. A 100 sq. ft. room, that is appropriately outfitted to house the instrument, has been allocated. Provisions have been made to underwrite the service contract once the initial warranty period has expired. An advisory committee has been established. A doctoral level scientist, with experience in flow cytometry, will supervise the facility with the assistance of an experienced research technician.
This request is for a BD FACSAria Fusion flow cytometer which will function as a multiuser instrument in a core facility at the Center for Inflammation, Infectious Diseases and Immunity in the Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University. This new instrument will afford our researchers the ability to bring their basic, clinical and translational science to a new level and will significantly and meaningfully enhance immunologic research related to key clinical infectious and immunologic disease states fundamental to public health.
