The PIs request funding to acquire a state-of-the-art cell-sorter flow cytometer. The use of flow cytometry has become central to most research in microbial oceanography, and critical in 'adaptive' sampling to assess shifts in population composition and function. The requested instrument is a modular, versatile, highspeed cell sorter that will enable the identification, enumeration and sorting of cells with subtle differences in their optical signatures. A novelty of the instrument is its unparalleled manual adjustment of detectors required to identify and sort organisms with subtle differences in their optical signatures, which is central in microbial oceanographic studies dealing with diversity, ecosystem function, biogeochemical effects of shifts in community composition, and evolution on marine microbial groups.
Broader Impacts:
The proposed flow cytometry facility will not only significantly further marine science research but will be available to engineering, medical, and anthropological colleagues. It will be used in a new class for undergraduate and graduate marine science students and in yearly workshops that will increase collaboration between UCSB personnel and other researchers. The PI has a good track record of providing access through media interviews and interactions with COSEE and school groups. A major value of the facility will be the creation of a new undergraduate and postgraduate course: 'Flow Cytometry Applications in Modern Microbial Oceanography'.
