Sort Your Cells Out at the Flow Cytometry Core
Does your research require sorted populations of cells? Are you interested in monitoring cell cycle and autophagy-related processes? Have you recently read about a new cell surface marker or biological process, and wondered if a similar phenomenon occurs in the system you work on? If so, you should stop by Einstein’s Flow Cytometry core in Chanin 309.
Dr. Jinghang Zhang sorts cells in the Flow Cytometry facility, using a MoFlo XDP cell sorter
Flow cytometry uses instruments called cytometers to sort cell populations, quantitatively analyze cells, and assess cellular behaviors and phenomena. Cytometry involves passing emitted light through a stream of cells or particles and monitoring the light that is reflected or absorbed. This technique sorts groups of cells and particles by their distinct optical properties.
Researchers using the flow cytometry core can be trained on a wide variety of instruments, including benchtop and high-speed cell sorter cytometers, which they can then use for their experiments. The core also offers a laser scanning cytometer, which combines a cytometer and a fluorescent microscope to offer broader ability in analyzing samples. The sorter can be used to process Biosafety Level 2 plus samples, as well as clinical samples.
The core’s team members assist investigators and work with them through each step of the process, from experimental design to data acquisition, and interpretation. Dr. Jinghang Zhang, the core’s operations director, espouses a hands-on approach for researchers using the core. Once users have been trained on an instrument, they may operate it independently, and have 24/7 access to the facility.
“Creativity is important, and you must understand your project.” Dr. Zhang said. “In a lot of cases, we don’t just give you a protocol. Instead we explain every step, including why you want to do things in a certain way. This helps you understand each stage of a protocol to better conduct your research.”
Offering Keen Analysis
Collecting sorted cellsOne regular flow cytometry customer is Dr. Xingxing Zang, associate professor of microbiology & immunology, of medicine and of urology, and Miriam Mandel Faculty Scholar in Cancer Research. Dr. Zang studies the immune checkpoint system, which fine-tunes the complex network of cells that defend the body against pathogens. He also collaborates with pharmaceutical companies, with the aim of treating diseases by modulating the immune checkpoint system.
“Without the core facility, we could not analyze immune cells,” explained Dr. Zang. “It’s critical for carrying out our research.” To take advantage of the expertise available at the flow cytometry core, Dr. Zang directs all new lab members to receive training there when they start working for him.
Aiding Treatment Development
From a clinical standpoint, Dr. Amit Verma, professor of medicine and of developmental & molecular biology, finds the core’s instruments and training opportunities crucial for studying the abnormal cells present in leukemia and pre-leukemia. His research group frequently uses flow cytometry to see whether drugs or changes in specific genetic pathways change the viability of leukemic cells, with the goal of developing new treatments for various forms of disease.
The sorting chamber of an MoFloXDP cell sorterThe core’s instruments allow Dr. Verma’s group to quantify drug effects on diseased cells. In addition, his team uses cytometers approved for processing clinical samples to study patient-derived tissues and cells.
“There is a wealth of information that you can get from flow cytometry that is simply not possible to obtain using other techniques,” said Dr. Verma, referring to the intracellular mechanisms that flow cytometry can help uncover. “And having hands-on training expands our team’s capabilities and what we can achieve.”
“A lot of people don’t know very much about flow cytometry when they first come to us,” said Dr. Zhang. “When they leave, they’re proficient in the technique and have the confidence to apply their expertise in new ways.”
Posted on: Friday, July 07, 2017