The flow cytometer instrumentation and analytical software will upgrade and expand the capabilities of an existing, fully utilized Flow Cytometer Facility located at the Beth Israel Hospital. This Research Flow Cytometer Facility is staffed by a committed, trained, full-time flow cytometer operator who operates a dual laser flow cytometer and fluorescence- activated cell sorter. This Facility, which has been operational since 1988, is now completely utilized by a multitude of diverse research groups located within the Beth Israel Hospital and at adjoining institutions in the Harvard Medical School area. Based on the current needs of these many research groups, the requested additional instrumentation would enable the shared instrumentation in the Flow Cytometer Facility to provide new, currently unavailable types of analyses and would alleviate the delays now routine with the single, extensively utilized flow cytometer/cell sorter. The requested instrumentation includes a single laser research flow cytometer, which represents a cost-effective means of enhancing the availability of research flow cytometry. More routine flow cytometric analyses done on this instrument would free the present dual laser flow cytometer/cell sorter for its unique and more sophisticated uses, including cell sorting, and cell cycle and calcium flux assays requiring its UV-argon laser. Moreover, the requested single laser instrument would be specifically suitable and available for use by researchers themselves, thereby expanding flow cytometry use during day, evening and weekend hours. New analytic capabilities would include real-time calcium flux analyses and cell cycle and DNA ploidy studies. As a shared, dedicated, multi-user research resource, the Research Flow Cytometry Facility at the Beth Israel Hospital has provided, and will continue to provide, research support capabilities not otherwise available. Investigators utilizing this Facility include those in many research laboratories in Departments at the Beth Israel Hospital, including the Departments of Medicine, Pathology, Surgery, Neurology, Radiology, and Obstetrics and Gynecology; and investigators at other nearby institutions, including the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, the Harvard School of Public Health, the Children's Hospital Medical Center, and the Brigham and Women's Hospital. The research studies supported by the current and planned Facility include those related to immunology, inflammation, molecular biology, cell biology, dental medicine, allergy, hematology, rheumatology, pulmonary diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and viral and parasitic infections.
