Flow Cytometry Cell Sorter

 描述(由申请人提供)：爱荷华大学流式细胞术设施成立于1979年，2013年被四所学院的22个系使用。为这一多样化的研究人员群体服务需要能够适应广泛需求的仪器，包括以生物安全的方式进行多参数高速细胞分选。该设施目前运营着两个细胞分类器，一个是Becton Dickinson(BD)FACS Vantage/DIVA，另一个是FACS Aria II/SORP，这两个分选器的使用量都很大。毫无疑问，两个细胞分选机是必要的，以履行国家卫生研究院资助的研究人员在该机构的义务。在2010年购买第二台细胞分选机(FACS Aria II)之前，该设施至少有一个月的积压来进行分选实验。调查人员明确表示，漫长的等待期干扰了他们完成项目的能力，使他们处于竞争劣势。很明显，该设施需要两个分拣机才能提供最佳服务。这项提案要求提供资金用于BD FACS Aria SORP细胞分选机，以取代BD FACS Vantage/DIVA。虽然BD FACS Vantage/DIVA于2002年1月安装，作为广泛的细胞分选实验的工作马匹，但它变得更加难以支持。BD在2007年停止了FACS Vantage/DIVA系列仪器的销售，在2008年停止了DIVA软件升级，并在2010年后停止提供服务合同。这三台水冷主框架激光器还需要大量的维护和支持费用。除预防性维护套件外，第三方供应商不提供Vantage/DIVA部件。由于难以获得部件和支撑件，导致仪器无法使用的不可恢复故障的可能性增加。此外，虽然该设施较新的BD FACS Aria II/SORP具有气溶胶管理系统，并安装在生物安全柜中，但BD FACS Vantage/DIVA仅使用气溶胶管理系统进行生物危害保护。这限制了可以分类的样品类型，从而限制了FACS DIVA可以容纳的项目。爱荷华大学流式细胞仪设施是校园里唯一的细胞分类提供商。爱荷华州唯一的另一个公开可访问的细胞分类器位于大约130英里外的爱荷华州立大学。BD FACS Vantage/DIVA将不可避免地退役，如果不用新的细胞分选机取而代之，将对众多调查人员及时完成研究造成重大不利影响。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The University of Iowa Flow Cytometry Facility, established in 1979, was used by 22 departments across four colleges in 2013. Serving this diverse group of investigators requires instruments capable of accommodating a wide range of demands including multi-parameter high-speed cell sorting in a biologically safe manner. The Facility currently operates two cell sorters, a Becton Dickinson (BD) FACS Vantage/DiVa and a FACS Aria II/SORP, both of which are used heavily. There is no question that two cell sorters are necessary to fulfill the obligations of the NIH-funded investigators at this institution. Priorto acquiring the second cell sorter (the FACS Aria II) in 2010, the Facility had a minimum of a one month backlog for sorting experiments. The investigators made it clear that this long waiting period was interfering with their ability to complete their projects and put them at a competitive disadvantage. It is quite clear that this Facility needs two sorters for optimal service delivery. This proposal requests funds for a biologically contained BD FACS Aria SORP cell sorter to replace the BD FACS Vantage/DiVa. While the BD FACS Vantage/DiVa, installed in January 2002, has served as a work horse for a broad range of cell sorting experiments, it has become more difficult to support. BD discontinued sales of the FACS Vantage/DiVa family of instruments in 2007, ended DiVa software upgrades in 2008, and stopped offering service contracts after 2010. The three water-cooled main-frame lasers also require significant maintenance and expense to support. Third party suppliers do not offer Vantage/DiVa parts other than preventative maintenance kits. With parts and support difficult to obtain, there is increased likelihood that an unrecoverable failure that will render the instrument unusable. Moreover, while the Facility's newer BD FACS Aria II/SORP has an aerosol management system and is housed in a biosafety cabinet, the BD FACS Vantage/DiVa only utilizes an aerosol management system for biohazard protection. This has limited the types of samples that can be sorted and thus the projects that can be accommodated with the FACS DiVa. The University of Iowa Flow Cytometry Facility is the sole cell-sorting provider on campus. The only other publicly accessible cell sorter in the state of Iowa is housed at Iowa State University, approximately 130 miles away. The inevitable retirement of the BD FACS Vantage/DiVa will result in a significant adverse impact on the timely completion of the research of numerous investigators if not replaced with a new cell sorter.