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

流式细胞术和细胞分选领域在生命科学研究的许多领域都是必不可少的，对于Babraham研究所（BI）开展的工作尤其重要。BI的流式细胞术核心设施是一个忙碌、成功的设施，其中包含几台流式细胞仪，并由专业且经验丰富的工作人员提供支持。Flow Core为BI科学家（超过100人使用该设施）以及位于Babraham研究园区的三分之一的公司提供优质服务。在过去的几年里，BI投资了Flow Core，以提供经常使用的流式细胞仪分析仪，但是，自2010年以来，没有为Core购买新的细胞分选仪。重要的是要利用流式细胞术技术和试剂的重大新发展，并提高设施中细胞分选机的容量。该设备赠款申请旨在为购买一台新的BI拥有的流式细胞仪细胞分选机提供资金，该分选机将在BI Flow Core内安装和运行。本授权申请中的细胞分选仪被称为Becton Dickinson FACSAriaFusion（以下简称“Fusion”），这是一种一流的流式细胞仪，能够使用多达20种不同的测量方法同时分选4个群体。该仪器经过高度设计，利用新开发的流式细胞术试剂，通过最大限度地减少不同信号之间的不必要携带，提高了实验的灵敏度和分辨率。此外，Fusion将使细胞能够以比Flow Core中当前细胞分选仪更高的精度和准确度进行查询。这些先进的功能将使BI科学家能够通过可视化和捕获罕见的细胞亚群，在研究中提出新的问题，更准确地区分混合样本中的不同细胞类型，并研究其他类型的人类细胞，因为Fusion的安全性得到了改善。我们建议在新的Fusion上开展的具体项目的例子包括研究衰老如何影响疫苗的效力和人类的反应，我们的基因活动如何在人类发育和干细胞特化的早期阶段受到控制，以及我们的免疫细胞如何发展以及随着我们年龄的增长如何变化。Flow Core的能力增强将有助于支持BI生物科学研究，特别是在衰老细胞免疫学和再生医学领域的终身健康和福祉。尖端的流式细胞仪功能还将促进与Babraham研究园区和更广泛地区的联系，并最大限度地提高投资设备资金的价值。

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.