Flow Cytometry Core
The Flow Cytometry Core offers analysis of cell phenotype and properties; digestive disease specific training, troubleshooting, support and optimization for Vanderbilt Digestive Disease Research Center members.
Scientific Director: Eric Skaar, PhD, MPH
Core Manager: David K. Flaherty
Core Aims
- Provide access to novel, state-of-the-art equipment for analysis and sorting of human and animal cells or sub-cellular elements and support studies that utilize other VDDRC shared resources to collaboratively increase data robustness;
- Deliver professional guidance in experimental design, optimization, and data interpretation, which is especially important for utilizing new, high-dimensional, spectral flow cytometers (e.g., Cytek Aurora, Cytek Aurora CS, Cytek Northern Lights);
- Train VDDRC Members, on a continuing, customized, and individual basis, in the development of VDDRC-specific protocols and basic and advanced use of flow cytometry equipment and software;
- Assist users with translation from animal/cellular systems to human pathobiology, grant applications, publication materials, and data analysis.
Core Services
- Training, acquisition and analysis on our state-of-the-art cytometers for experiments that include 30+ different fluorochromes simultaneously
- High-speed sorting with up to 45 different fluorochromes simultaneously with the ability to sort and or clone into any plate or dish
- Expert consultation and troubleshooting and experimental design guidance
- Training and analysis services for FlowJo software: including the use of AI powered analysis tools such as Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection (UMAP), Flow Cytometry Self Organizing Map (FlowSOM), and t-Distributed Stochastic Neighboring Embedding (t-SNE) analysis