Investigators in the Duke Human Vaccine Institute (HVI) study the pathogenesis and mechanisms of host defense of HIV, emerging infections and select agent pathogens. A diverse group of nine investigators within the Departments of Medicine, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, and Surgery, is requesting a FACSAria cell sorter and a Baker Protect II biocontainment hood in which to house the FACSAria, to support a number of ongoing NIH-funded research projects. Currently, no BSL-3 flow cytometer facility iexists at Duke to support the analysis and/or separation of unfixed cell samples that require BSL-3 containment. Moreover, the current cell sorters at Duke cannot sort unfixed pathogen-infected human mononuclear cells for functional studies because of lack of an adequate biocontainment facility. This group of nine investigators will require approximately 94% of the total usage of the instrument. Access to the instrument will be made available to other users based upon the advice of an internal advisory committee. The instrument will be housed in the Flow Cytometry Core Facility in an existing BSL-3 building, the Cancer Center Isolation Facility. Continued financial support for the operation and maintenance of the instrument will be provided by the Duke Human Vaccine Institute as well as by a charge-back mechanism. The instrument will be operated by two well-trained operators. In summary, the research efforts on HIV-1, emerging infections, and biodefense in the Duke HVI has a demonstrated need, and we are requesting support for a state-of-the-art FACSAria flow cytometer to operate in a BSL-3 bio-containment setting. Advisory committees, institutional support, financial support for continued maintenance, and management plans are in place to insure that the instrument will be fully and appropriately utilized.
