4-Laser Flow Cytometer

• Subject Area: Basic Research in Biology and Medicine
• Term: since 2026
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 579033753

Flow cytometry is mandatory for the cell-specific analysis of complex three-dimensional organoids and human tumor explants, as well as the associated patient blood samples. The development of human-based test systems that mimic the individual cellular complexity of tumors, for example, is particularly important in personalized drug development. Flow cytometry is an indispensable tool for functional studies in the aforementioned models at the single-cell level. In contrast to existing microscopic methods, changes in marker expression at the single-cell level can be quantified after drug treatment, and the production of soluble factors can be analyzed while simultaneously determining cell-specific viability. No alternative method offers this combination and flexibility in qualitative and quantitative single-cell analysis. The aim of this application is to obtain a full-spectrum flow cytometer that can analyze the entire emission spectrum for each fluorophore across all laser lines and is therefore well suited for the development of highly multiparametric marker panels. Maximizing the amount of information that can be obtained from a single sample not only enables the identification, quantification, and in-depth characterization of the polarization and differentiation status of, for example, the immune cell population in the tumor microenvironment of a solid tumor, but also serves to solve the problem of limited sample availability. Thus, a full-spectrum flow cytometer is a powerful tool for the detailed characterization of cellularly heterogeneous tissues and human peripheral blood. The goal is to obtain a robust device that enables maximum flexibility through multi-biomarker signatures before and after administration of active substances. The aim is to procure a robust device that enables maximum flexibility through multi-high-parameter panels in combination with intuitive handling for robust routine operation.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: 4-Laser Durchflusszytometer
• Instrumentation Group: 3500 Zellzähl- und Klassiergeräte (außer Blutanalyse), Koloniezähler
• Applicant Institution: Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf
• Leader: Professorin Dr. Nicole Teusch