5-Laser Cell Sorter

• Subject Area: Microbiology, Virology and Immunology
• Term: Funded in 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 439895892

Cell sorting, also referred to as flow cytometry, is a key technology in life sciences. Flow cytometry-based cell purification allows for unmatched definition of cell phenotypes and is essential to obtain highly purified and well defined cell populations for further analysis including many modern –omics technologies. At RWTH Aachen University, we coordinate and centralize flow cytometry technology in a core facility, the flow cytometry facility (FCF). Since its start in July 2017, the FCF experienced a constant grow in users and research projects and today cell sorting capacity has become a limiting factor in the FCF and research projects at the Medical Faculty at RWTH Aachen University. Here we request funding of a high-end cell sorter to be installed in the FCF. A new cell sorter is urgently needed to increase cell sorting capacity, to set-up routine cell sorting of potentially infective human primary cells and biosafety S2 material and to extend cell sorting options by a new state-of-the art instrument.Research projects that require cell sorting capacity comprise a collection of 23 third party-funded high-profile research projects, including several projects funded in new research consortia at the Medical Faculty, the CRC1382, TRR 219 and CRU 344. These project sketches and cv demonstrate the high demand on state-of-the art cell sorting capacity in the FCF and the high quality of the respective research projects.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: 5-Laser Zellsorter
• Instrumentation Group: 3500 Zellzähl- und Klassiergeräte (außer Blutanalyse), Koloniezähler
• Applicant Institution: Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen
• Leader: Professor Dr. Oliver Pabst