The goal of this application is to acquire a state-of-the-art Becton Dickinson (BD) FACSymphony A5 high throughput 30-parameter flow cytometer cell analyzer for the Flow Cytometry Core Facility at the Tulane National Primate Research Center (TNPRC) to support the research of 12 NIH-funded investigators at TNPRC and to serve as a research and educational resource for regional investigators. The TNPRC is an NIH-supported national resource with a mission that integrates research, training and service in biomedical research to improve human and animal health through basic and applied biomedical research. In this application we present research projects from 9 Major users and 3 Minor users whose work is performed at the TNPRC. These projects are focused on infectious diseases and immunology which are areas of exceptional expertise at the TNPRC and that attract national and international collaborators. Each of the users has a strong history of NIH funding and needs for advanced flow cytometry technology. The existing BD LSRFortessa and BD LSRII 15-parameter / 13-color flow cytometer cell analyzers have been in continuous operation for a decade. While these instruments were state-of-the-art when purchased, they are no longer sufficient to meet future needs with respect to high parameter capability, resolution and versatility. Furthermore, BD will cease to provide service for the LSRII beyond 2020. We propose purchasing a BD FACS Symphony A5 equipped with a 488nm blue laser (200mW) and 6 detectors, a 628nm red laser (200mW) with 3 detectors, a 405nm violet laser (200mW) with 8 detectors, a 355nm UV laser (60mW) with 7 detectors, a 561nm yellow-green laser (200mW) with 5 detectors, and a high-throughput system. The FACSymphony offers several advantages over our existing instruments to meet investigators? future needs. The inclusion of multiple lasers and detectors ensures addition of at least 15 more fluorochromes than are currently possible with our existing flow cytometry analyzers, which can detect up to 13 colors. Compared to other premiere systems on the market the BD FACSymphony offers the best overall system in terms of number of parameters, future upgrade options, service and price. It also has the advantage of providing new services on an existing BD flow cytometer platform. The availability of a high-parameter and versatile instrument such as the FACSymphony is likely to attract additional investigators that require this technology leading to new collaborations further expanding the scope of nonhuman primate research at the TNPRC.
The goal of this application is to acquire a state-of-the-art high throughput high-parameter flow cytometer cell analyzer (BD FACSymphony A5) to support the research of 12 NIH-funded investigators at the Tulane National Primate Research Center (TNPRC) and to serve as a research and educational resource for regional investigators. The new flow cytometer will significantly add to the capabilities of existing flow cytometers and benefit the NIH-funded projects of the users and the mission of the TNPRC to serve as a national biomedical research resource.
