Bandwidth-Selective, APD-Based Flow Cytometer

描述(申请人提供)：超小型、高性能、多激光器、多参数、带宽选择的流式细胞仪是本研究的预期成果。通常由这种类型的设备通过使用激光和光子探测器进行的细胞分析，将随着本提案中详细说明的研究而提升到一个全新的能力水平。 具体地说，基于这些关键领域的几项令人振奋的进展，提出了细胞仪基本部件：聚焦光学系统、激光询问系统和光子探测系统的革命性发展。拟议的光学研究将开发一种复杂的激光聚焦孔径，可以与新的强大而紧凑的固态激光器一起使用，以增加多参数流式细胞仪系统中使用的激光数量。对微型固态光子探测器的最先进研究将导致高灵敏度的硅光探测器或雪崩光电二极管，可用于流动细胞仪。这些光子探测器将被用来取代传统的笨重的光电倍增管。 目前广泛使用的流式细胞仪作为一种通过细胞群分析来诊断疾病，特别是癌症的方法，将从这里提出的高性能设备的开发所提供的灵敏度和能力的提高中受益匪浅。在商业上，流式细胞仪被广泛的市场接受，作为美国许多医院的病理和免疫科的核心诊断设备。由于这些设备的市场已经建立，我们的高性能、极其紧凑的设备应该会得到广泛的接受，并在使用流式细胞仪进行诊断和科学方面立即提供技术改进。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): An ultra-compact, high-performance, multi-laser, many-parameter, bandwidth-selective flow cytometer is the expected result of the research and development proposed here. The cellular analysis typically carried out by a device of this type, through the use of lasers and photon detectors, will be moved to a whole new level of capability with the research detailed in this proposal. Specifically, revolutionary developments in the basic components of the cytometer: the focusing optics, the laser-interrogation system, and the photon-detection systems are proposed based upon several exciting advancements in these critical areas. Proposed research in optics will develop a sophisticated laser-focusing aperture that can be used with new powerful and compact solid-state lasers in order to increase the number of lasers used in a many-parameter, flow-cytometer system. State-of-the-art research in miniature, solid-state photon detectors will result in highly sensitive, silicon photodetectors, or avalanche photodiodes, that can be adapted for use in flow cytometers. These photon detectors will be used to replace conventional, cumbersome photomultiplier tubes. The current widespread use of flow cytometers as a method of diagnosing disease, especially cancer, through cell population analysis will benefit highly from the increase in sensitivity and capability provided by development of the high-performance device proposed here. Commercially, flow cytometers have wide market acceptance for use as core diagnostic devices in pathology and immunology departments in many hospitals across the United States. Since the market is established for these devices, our high-performance, extremely compact device should find broad acceptance and provide immediate technological improvement in the diagnosis and science carried out with flow cytometers.