Acquisition of a Flow Cytometer for Cell Biology Research and Undergraduate Research Training

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A grant has been awarded to Calvin College under the direction of Dr. David DeHeer to purchase a flow cytometer for use in cell biology research and undergraduate research training. A flow cytometer is a sophisticated instrument for detecting and measuring specific molecules, including DNA, in individual living cells. For example, researchers use the instrument to identify malignant cells, cells that express specific genes and thereby exhibit abnormal functions. Not only can a flow cytometer analyze thousands of cells each second, but it can also separate them into groups with specific functions or discrete genetic markers. These populations then can be cloned and further studied in the laboratory.At Calvin College the flow cytometer will markedly enhance faculty research capabilities. Five faculty, all from Calvin's Biology Department, will use the instrument in research areas including immunology, lacrimal gland gene expression, bacterial invasion, DNA replication and repair, and basic neuroscience. The flow cytometer will also significantly enrich the research training of undergraduate students, benefiting in particular, upper-level research-design and methods courses that emphasize cell and molecular biology. It also will be used to teach laboratory skills and analytical methods in cell culture, immunology, and microbiology courses.The new instrument will have broader impacts beyond its use for research. (1) Faculty using the flow cytometer model inquiry-based learning to students and engage them in the practice of investigative science. (2) This instrument will foster student collaborations while providing valuable hands-on experience with advanced technology. (3) It will play a strategic role in preparing college students for graduate education and laboratory research, a key step in equipping young people to provide vital contributions to the scientific and engineering community, as well as to the US workforce.