Flow Cytometry and Confocal Microscopy Shared Resource

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FLOW CYTOMETRY AND CONFOCAL MICROSCOPY SHARED RESOURCE (CYT-SR): ABSTRACT CYT-SR provides University of Florida Health Cancer Center (UFHCC) members with cost-effective, state-of- the-art flow cytometry and modern confocal microscopy expertise, instrumentation, and services to support their research activities. The CYT-SR is an institutionally-managed shared resource (SR) that is supported by UFHCC through a partnership with the UF Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research (ICBR). It is co-located within the Cancer & Genetics Research Complex and McKnight Brain Institute, providing convenient access for UFHCC members. The CYT-SR has 4 staff with over 22 years combined experience including Kellish, the Scientific Director, an immunologist with more than 7 years of experience in all aspects of flow analysis. Key technologies available in the CYT-SR include multi-parameter flow cytometry, cell sorting, live cell imaging via confocal microscopy, surface biomarker-based cancer and immune cell phenotyping, assessment of tissue and cell morphology by confocal microscopy, and small particle and exosome analysis. During the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the CYT-SR was identified as an essential campus resource and remained open and accessible to all users. Instrument reservations, equipment usage time, and technician-assisted activities are tracked by the UFHCC and charged back via the CrossLab laboratory management system. Since 2016, the CYT-SR was utilized by 78 unique UFHCC users (43 with peer-reviewed funding) accounting for ~24% of all users of the facility. CYT-SR use by UFHCC members increased 5.3-fold from 900 hours in 2016 to 4,800 hours in 2021. The CYT-SR supported more than 180 publications, with 24% having IF >10. Since the 2019 CCSG submission, 484 students, postdoctoral fellows, and technical staff from UFHCC member laboratories were trained on CYT- SR instruments. Mechanisms of Oncogenesis and the Cancer Therapeutics and Host Response members represent the majority of UFHCC users. The effectiveness of the CYT-SR in enhancing member research productivity is assessed by annual surveys, feedback from the CYT-SR Scientific Advisory Group, and recommendations from the SR Oversight Committee. Due to the rising demand for CYT-SR resources by members, the UFHCC supported the purchase of a new Sony SP6800 Spectral Analyzer (2018), Cytoflex LX21 (2020), and a Becton Dickinson SYMPHONY A3 (2020). To support first-in-human RNA vaccine clinical trials, UFHCC supported the recruitment of a PhD-level immunologist to the CYT-SR to perform flow-based immunophenotyping. Future growth of the CYT-SR are in alignment with the UFHCC strategic plan, Momentum 2027, and user satisfaction surveys, and include upgrades such as an acquisition of a BD FACSYMPHONY S6 cell sorter, increasing capabilities and services in super high-resolution microscopy and single cell analysis, and in collaboration with BQS-SR, expansion of advanced training in the application of biostatistics to cytometric analysis.