5-Laser Flow Cytometer

• Subject Area: Medicine
• Term: Funded in 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 568419295

Cardiovascular diseases, often triggered by endocrine/metabolic dysfunctions, are the leading cause of death in Germany. The development of new preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic strategies is therefore a key challenge. Basic research at the LMU could identify promising target structures and develop innovative concepts. However, the translation of these concepts into clinical applications has been restricted by limited opportunities for validation in relevant close-to-human large animal models so far. In the new research building ICONLMU, existing resources are synergistically combined in order to develop new diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for endocrine-metabolic and cardiovascular diseases and to validate them preclinically in a bench-to-bedside approach. To this end, ICONLMU uses tailored (genetically modified) pigs for modeling of complex diseases in combination with state-of-the-art multimodal phenotyping. The interdisciplinary research program of ICONLMU focuses on three thematically and methodologically closely linked areas: (1) endocrine and metabolic dysfunctions, (2) vascular diseases and (3) myocardial, rhythm and valvular disorders. While (1) investigates basic mechanisms of diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome and their effects on the cardiovascular system, (2) evaluates new strategies for preventing atherosclerosis and atherothrombosis. Finally, (3) focuses on the development of new methods for the diagnosis and treatment of arrhythmias, valvular and myocardial diseases. In addition to comprehensive options for in vivo phenotyping of these pig models (including operating rooms, cardiac catheterization laboratory, CT, MRI, PET-CT, behavioral laboratory), ICONLMU also has a large laboratory area to enable investigations at the cellular level. For this purpose, a FACS (see separate application) and the flow cytometer applied for are planned. This device must meet high requirements: i) it must be a high-performance device with a resolution of at least 20 colors, ii) allow spectral flow cytometry, iii) must be easy to use and, iv) enable multiplex work.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: 5-Laser Durchflusszytometer
• Instrumentation Group: 3500 Zellzähl- und Klassiergeräte (außer Blutanalyse), Koloniezähler
• Applicant Institution: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
• Leader: Professor Dr. Steffen Massberg