Implementation of continuous flow cytometry for high resolution mapping of microbial distributions in surface waters

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The PI's request funding to complete the development of instrumentation that allows continuous high-resolution mapping of microbial (both autotrophic and heterotrophic) communities in surface waters. With this proposal they propose to transition SeaFlow into the final development stage where it will be permanently installed and operated on the R/V Thompson, requiring minimal support of shipboard marine technicians. This instrument will build upon SeaFlow optics and fluidics and will be the first instrument to continuously measure the distribution of heterotrophic microbes in surface waters. They will also develop a collaborative data processing, management and analysis platform to allow scalable, interactive analysis of our rapidly expanding data sets both on-vessel and on-shore, during and after the cruise. Broader Impacts: A successful outcome from this proposal could pioneer the routine use of flow cytometry on ships of opportunity and on research cruises where a specialist in this technique was not present. The increased frequency and coverage of sampling, and the proposed ease of access to the data, is likely to stimulate interest in marine microbial ecology in the wider oceanographic community. The proposed research will provide great training opportunities for undergraduates and post doctoral researchers directly and will presumably include graduate students in some of the real time testing and feedback. This project is definitely interdisciplinary and pulls in undergraduates from different disciplines.