We are requesting support for a BD Biosciences FACSAria"""""""" fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS). This machine can perform flow cytometric analysis, and it can sort cells on the basis of fluorescence. This is a state of the art instrument that combines high throughput performance with relative ease of use and low maintenance. The FACSAria machine will be placed in a new College of Chemical and Life Sciences Imaging Facility which will be located in a newly constructed Biosciences Research Building scheduled to open in May 2007 on the campus of the University of Maryland, College Park. This instrument will be operated by a full time operator who will be hired and fully supported by the University. The fluorescence activated cell sorter will be located within the College of Life Sciences but it will be available to all university investigators. The University of Maryland has made a major commitment to expansion and improvement in the Life Sciences. It is widely recognized at the University that with this expansion, comes the need for new core facilities and the hiring of an experienced scientist to run these facilities. Fluorescence activated cell sorting is an important experimental approach which allows investigators to identify sub-populations of cells within a complex mixture, and sort them into a homogenous populations, based on specific fluorescence intensities. FACS is used throughout the life sciences, and the FACSAria sorting flow cytometer will be used by many investigators throughout the University. This would be the only fluorescence-activated cell sorter on the entire campus, which has a faculty in excess of 1500 investigators. Consequently, the University has agreed to make a major commitment to support the purchase of this instrument. Dr. Norma Allewell, Dean of CLFS, has committed $100k toward the purchase of this instrument, and 100% support of the operator's salary. The application is being submitted on behalf of the newly formed Maryland Pathogen Research Institute (MPRI), which is physically located within the College of Life Sciences, but as a multidisciplinary research institute on campus, includes investigators from 8 different Departments (CBMG, BIO, CBR, MOCB, CHHP, CVM, MTECH, ANSC) located in 4 different Colleges (Life Sciences, Engineering, Health & Human Performance, Veterinary Medicine) within the University. A variety of scientific programs on campus spanning a number of disciplines, including pathogen research, immunology, human performance, and neurobiology will be substantially enhanced by the addition of this instrument. ? ? ?
