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Flow Cytometry Shared Resource (Flow Cytometry)

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Facility RRID

RRID:SCR_014854

Additional Citation Identifiers

1S10OD032325-011S10OD040289-01P30CA030199

Facility Details

The facility provides access to high-speed cell sorting, analytical flow and imaging flow cytometry, and validated antibody panels for immune profiling on the SBP campus in La Jolla. Trained SBP investigators have 24-hr/day access to a variety of analytical flow cytometers available for independent use. Trained external users have access during business hours.

Core staff provide technical expertise, hardware and software training, operate the facility‘s cell sorters and are available to assist with analysis experiments for those who prefer to have their samples run by an expert cytometrist.

Scientists planning a flow cytometry experiment are encouraged to consult facility staff for assistance with protocols, fluorochrome selection or other aspects of experiment design.

Funding Info

NIH - 07/04/2026 - Spectral Cell Sorter

is_active:

Yes

budget_end:

06/30/2027

date_added:

07/04/2026

agency_code:

NIH

fiscal_year:

2026

project_num:

1S10OD040289-01

award_amount:

$632,113.00

budget_start:

07/01/2026

org_name:

SANFORD BURNHAM PREBYS MEDICAL DISCOVERY INSTITUTE

org_state:

CA

org_country:

UNITED STATES

org_zipcode:

920371005

primary_duns:

020520466

abstract_text:

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT This S10 application requests a Cytek Aurora CS Spectral Cell Sorter for Sanford Burnham Prebys (SBP) to replace a 22-year-old FACSAriaIIu sorter that has experienced >45 days of downtime in the past 18 months and lacks service contract support, creating a critical bottleneck for time-sensitive experiments. Moreover, SBP's current cell sorting infrastructure cannot meet the growing demand for complex, high-parameter sorting required for cutting-edge immunological, cancer, aging, neuroscience, and skeletal muscle research by SBP's NIH-funded scientists. The Cytek Aurora CS offers revolutionary advantages including: (1) spectral technology with 64 fluorescence detectors across five lasers, enabling simultaneous analysis of 40+ parameters in a single experiment; (2) superior sensitivity for detecting low-abundance molecules; (3) advanced autofluorescence extraction capabilities to improve signal resolution in samples like brain tissue, primary tumor cells and liver samples. These features substantially improve the precision with which cell populations can be isolated. Further, the Aurora CS sorter offers seamless compatibility with our existing Aurora spectral analyzer for direct transfer of experimental protocols without panel redesign, accelerating research and reducing waste. The instrument will be housed in the SBP Flow Cytometry Shared Resource, which has demonstrated exceptional management of institutional flow cytometry equipment and provides expert technical support to ensure optimal utilization. The acquisition of this instrument is part of SBP's strategic plan to modernize the Flow Cytometry Shared Resource, in operation since 2002, and enhances the research environment by providing graduate students and postdoctoral fellows with access to state-of-the-art technology essential for developing advanced technical skills critical to the nation's future biomedical workforce. The instrument will serve fourteen NIH-funded investigators spanning multiple disciplines, with projects requiring isolation of rare cell populations for use in disease models and molecular studies including single-cell genomic and transcriptomic analyses. The acquisition of this instrument will significantly accelerate discoveries in cancer biology, immunology, neuroscience, aging and regenerative medicine at SBP, while establishing a technological foundation for future collaborative research initiatives.

project_title:

Spectral Cell Sorter

contact_pi_name:

ALTMAN, YOAV

total_cost:

$632,112.00

total_cost:

$1.00

NIH - 09/24/2022 - Cytek Aurora Full Spectrum Flow Cytometer

is_active:

No

budget_end:

06/19/2024

date_added:

09/24/2022

agency_code:

NIH

fiscal_year:

2022

project_num:

1S10OD032325-01

award_amount:

$468,316.00

budget_start:

09/20/2022

org_name:

SANFORD BURNHAM PREBYS MEDICAL DISCOVERY INSTITUTE

org_state:

CA

org_country:

UNITED STATES

org_zipcode:

920371005

primary_duns:

020520466

abstract_text:

PROJECT SUMMARY Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP) has ~40 labs studying the molecular and cellular underpinnings of diverse biological processes including cancer; developmental biology; immuno-oncology; infection, inflammation; aging and related diseases. Many recent advances in health care depend upon new insights into tissue heterogeneity at the single cell level. Flow cytometry is the gold standard for high throughput single cell analysis, however conventional flow is limited by the number of analytes that can be run in unison. Spectral flow cytometers recently achieved the parameter depth required for deep immune profiling with publications showing 40+ color rivaling time-of-flight mass cytometry (CyTOF) parameter depth with ~50-fold higher throughput. SBP requests support for a Cytek Aurora Spectral Flow Cytometer with 5 lasers (UV/V/B/YG/R), 64 fluorescence and 3 scattering channels, and Automatic Micro-sampling Station (AMS) to enable high- parameter single-cell proteomic analysis for deep profiling of cell heterogeneity in tissues. We also request support for a BioBUBBLE Class I Negative Biocontainment Enclosure for Cytek Aurora to protect researchers running potentially infectious material. The Aurora more than doubles the number of fluorescent parameters that can be measured at SBP and leverages existing FACS protocols and expertise. It is a bridging technology between high-throughput low-plex conventional flow cytometers in SBP’s Core and high-plex low- throughput genomics-based single-cell Seq technologies. This application is supported by a coalition of 12 Major Users from SBP and nearby University of California San Diego (UCSD) and San Diego Biomedical Research Institute (SDBRI) demonstrating the broad impact for the region. NIH-funded researchers, together accounting for 75% of the Aurora’s available use time (AUT), need the Aurora to advance their understanding of T cell exhaustion, anti-tumor immunity, aging, multi-system inflammatory disease in children (MIS-C), gut mucosal immunity, melanoma, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, pediatric medulloblastoma, graft versus host disease, and the immune evasion tactics of Coronavirus. The Aurora will provide unprecedented insight into tissue signatures that correlate with health and disease leading to new mechanistic inquiries and discoveries.

project_title:

Cytek Aurora Full Spectrum Flow Cytometer

contact_pi_name:

ALTMAN, YOAV

total_cost:

$468,316.00

NIH - 05/27/2012 - FLOW CYTOMETRY

is_active:

No

budget_end:

04/30/2013

date_added:

05/27/2012

agency_code:

NIH

fiscal_year:

2012

project_num:

5P30CA030199-31

award_amount:

$198,272.00

budget_start:

05/21/2012

org_name:

SANFORD BURNHAM PREBYS MEDICAL DISCOVERY INSTITUTE

org_state:

CA

org_country:

UNITED STATES

org_zipcode:

920371005

primary_duns:

020520466

abstract_text:

The Flow Cytometry Shared Resource offers Cancer Center users multi-parametric evaluation and high speed enrichment of phenotypically distinct cell populations using flow cytometry. For analytical flow cytometry, investigators have a choice of full-service analysis, or receiving training and then independent use of the two analytical flow cytometers (BD FACSort and BD FACSCanto). Investigator training and consulting is also provided on analytical software including CellQuest, FlowJo, and ModFitLT. For high-speed cell sorting, the facility provides experimental planning and full-service cell sorting by an expert operator, utilizing a BD FACSVantageSE DiVa. This instrument was recently equipped with a custom biosafety cabinet to enable sorting of cells infected with viral vectors, better protecting both the operator and the samples. The experienced Facility Director, Mr. Altman, provides investigators with extensive flow cytometry guidance, from experimental set-up, selection of reagents, setting gating or sorting parameters, data interpretation, and development of new methods. In the previous funding period. Flow Cytometry (previously the major part of the "High Throughput Cell Analysis" Shared Resource) performed key experiments described in at least 83 publications form Cancer Center members. The Resource is widely used, as in the past year, services were provided for 32 Cancer Center members, representing all four Programs. Plans for future development of the Resource include upgrading the current Flow Cytometers, and acquisition of a low-speed microfluidic sorter that can sort much lower numbers of cells and apply substantially lower shear forces than current instruments. This will be particularly useful for small biopsy samples or sorting for rare slow-growing tumor-initiating cells. In general, experiments performed in the Shared Resource are becoming more operator intensive, and the facility has reached the point where a second staff member is needed for sufficient capacity and optimal support for a diverse and growing base of users. Thus, partial salary support is requested for this technician. $109,057 in CCSG support is requested in the first year, representing 27.3% of the total annual operating budget of the Flow Cytometry Shared Resource.

project_title:

FLOW CYTOMETRY

contact_pi_name:

MERCOLA, MARK

total_cost:

$198,272.00

Facility Policies

Services are offerred outside of

Consulting is offerred outside of Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute

Last Updated: 08/06/2026