This application is to obtain funding for the purchase of a new fluorescence activated cell sorter at the University Of Connecticut Health Center (UCHC). This instrument, the MoFlo by Cytomation, would become part of an already highly active core flow cytometry facility. Our present instrument is outdated and also unable to keep up with demand. This is due in part to the recent and ongoing recruitment of NIH-funded faculty. Three new Departments/Centers have been created at UCHC in the last two years: the Center for Immunotherapy, the Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, and the Department Of Genetics and Developmental Biology. All three of the center directors are heavily involved in flow cytometry and are part of this proposal: Dr. Marc Lalande, new Chair of Genetics, has much experience in flow cytometry (e.g. sorting of chromosomes) and is a valuable asset to the facility. In addition, each center will be recruiting several new faculty, and many of these will require flow cytometry in their research. We have also recently recruited a stem cell immunologist (H.L. Aguila who trained with I. Weissman, Stanford) who has pending NIH funding and who will require significant use of the MoFlo. Furthermore, besides the new laboratories, several other NIH funded groups also have essential needs for new flow cytometry technology. As described in the application, the MoFlo will allow much more rapid and efficient sorting and more complex analytical power than is presently available at UCHC. This in turn will increase the chances of success for our ongoing and future NIH funded programs.
