Acquisition of a Cell Sorter for Systems Biology and Cellular Engineering Project Summary/Abstract We request a fluorescence activated cell sorter to advance the research in the Systems Biology and Cellular Engineering group at the Penn School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS). This proposal recognizes a need within Penn Engineering's growing focus at the interface of synthetic biology, systems biology, and cell and tissue engineering. These efforts lie at the core of five major NIH supported users and 11 secondary users. These efforts include: At the molecular level, evolving reporters to study neuronal connectivity (Chow) and engineering optogenetic probes to dissect genome topology (Phillips-Cremins). At the cellular level, isolating specific immune cell populations from heterogeneous mixtures to study leukocyte migration (Hammer) and to engineer innate immunotherapies against solid tumors (Discher). At the cell population level, isolating and interrogating rare cell populations underlying cancer drug resistance through new RNA barcoding techniques (Raj). The new fluorescence-activated cell sorter will fill significant and growing demand for sorting capabilities local to the engineering school, which is in the midst of a 33% expansion of its faculty as part of its Penn Engineering 2020 campaign. The sorter will relieve tight timing constraints on experiments carried out by our major users, caused by near-capacity utilization of sorters in nearby cores, most prominently within the Abramson Cancer Center (ACC). Local sorting capabilities in the engineering school will also significantly reduce current limitations on sample preparation caused by lengthy sample transport to the ACC from engineering buildings (Towne, Skirkanich, and Moore Halls). We will leverage Penn's institutional strength in cell sorting by partnering with the ACC Flow Cytometry and Cell Sorting Shared Resource (ACC SRL), who will maintain the instrument (through daily quality assurance and maintenance of a service contract) and ensure successful and compliant operation. Accordingly, the requested sorter will expand the capabilities and reach of the core, which serves NIH funded investigators across five of Penn's schools: Medicine, Dental, Veterinary, Arts and Sciences, and SEAS.
We propose purchasing a customized fluorescence-activated cell sorter to enable research within the Systems Biology and Cellular Engineering group at the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science. The mission of this group is to learn the intricate ways in which our cells coordinate essential functions, like how gene transcription dynamics are controlled and contribute to drug resistance, and how immune cells find and kill cancer cells. Our work thus carries tremendous therapeutic potential and will complement several larger University-wide initiatives including cellular programming and cancer immunotherapies.
