Equipment grant to fund the purchase of a multi-colour LSRII flow cytometer (University of Manchester, Faculty of Life Sciences, Immunology and Neuroinflammation groups). (360G-Wellcome-089115_Z_09_Z)

Our understanding of normal and disrupted biological processes is critically dependent on our ability to measure changes in cellular profiles and the expression of key molecules. A vital technique for measuring cellular and molecular changes is flow cytometry, which can be used for simultaneous analysis of many different cell types, molecules and signalling pathways within a complex biological sample. With recent advances in the technological capabilities of flow cytometers, it is now possible t o analyse up to 17 different cell/molecule populations in the same sample. This technology is increasingly essential to biologists, to enable analysis of specific cell populations identified by the expression of multiple different protein markers, and to analyse the production of multiple cytokines by these cells. The Immunology and Neuroinflammation groups at the University of Manchester consist of 8 group leaders, performing research that relies heavily on flow cytometric assays. Our groups do not have access to a high-specification multi-colour flow cytometer, which severely compromises the speed and scope of experiments that can be performed. Therefore, our proposal requests funds to purchase a multi-colour flow cytometer, to greatly benefit multiple research projects within the Immunology and Neuroinflammation groups.