16ALERT: BD FACS-Aria Fusion - strengthening the cell sorting capabilities of Babraham Institute Flow Core to enrich world-class science

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The fields of flow cytometry and cell sorting are essential in many areas of life science research and are especially key for the work carried out at the Babraham Institute (BI). The Flow Cytometry Core Facility at BI is a busy, successful facility that houses several flow cytometers supported by dedicated and experienced staff. The Flow Core prides itself in providing an excellent service to BI scientists (over 100 use the facility) and also to one-third of the companies situated on the Babraham Research Campus. Over the past few years, BI has invested in the Flow Core to provide flow cytometry analysers that are regularly used, however, a new cell sorter for the Core has not been purchased since 2010. It is important to take advantage of the substantial new developments in flow cytometry technology and reagents, and to increase capacity on the cell sorters in the facility. This equipment grant application aims to fund the purchase of a new, BI-owned, flow cytometry cell sorter to be housed and operated within the BI Flow Core. The cell sorter in this grant application is called a Becton Dickinson FACSAriaFusion (hereafter 'Fusion'), which is a class-leading flow cytometer that is capable of simultaneously sorting 4 populations using up to 20 different measurements. The instrument is highly engineered to take advantage of newly developed flow cytometry reagents, which provides increased sensitivity and resolution in experiments by mimimising the unwanted carryover between different signals. In addition, the Fusion will enable cells to be interrogated with more precision and accuracy than achievable with current cell sorters in the Flow Core. These advanced capabilities will enable BI scientists to ask new questions in their research by visualising and capturing rare sub-populations of cells, more accurately distinguish between different cell types in a mixed sample, and study additional types of human cell because of the improved safety features of the Fusion. Examples of specific projects that we propose to carry out on a new Fusion include investigating how ageing affects vaccine efficacy and response in humans, how the activity of our genes are controlled during the early stages of human development and stem cell specialisation, and how our immune cells develop and how this changes as we age.Therefore overall, strengthened capabilities in the Flow Core will help to underpin BI bioscience research into lifelong health and wellbeing, particularly in areas of ageing cell immunology and regenerative medicine. Cutting-edge flow cytometry capabilities will also boost connections with the Babraham Research Campus and wider area, and maximise the value of the invested equipment funding.