Flow Cytometry and Immune Monitoring Shared Resource (FCIMSR)

FLOW CYTOMETRY & IMMUNE MONITORING: ABSTRACT The Flow Cytometry & Immune Monitoring Shared Resource (FCIMSR) has served investigators of the University of Arizona Cancer Center (UACC) for more than 30 years. With the establishment of new cutting- edge comprehensive immune monitoring services for basic and translational research, FCIMSR has been renamed from the previous Flow Cytometry Shared Resource to highlight the full breadth of services now available. The goal of FCIMSR is to offer UACC Members efficient and reliable flow cytometric and comprehensive immune monitoring services with a high standard of quality control and in a cost-effective manner. Led by Sara Centuori, PhD, and supported by three full-time staff, FCIMSR provides the knowledge and expertise necessary to design experiments, develop new assays, perform flow cytometric functions, and interpret data. FCIMSR is supported by chargebacks and UACC funding with the intent to prioritize cancer- related services to UACC Members. In CY20, FCIMSR was utilized by 83 unique users, 55% of which were UACC Members (86% with peer-reviewed extramural funding). The volume of FCIMSR usage has steadily increased since 2016, supporting 60 publications by UACC Members and 256 funded grant proposals. In response to UACC Member needs, FCIMSR expanded its breadth of services to include human immune monitoring in 2020. FCIMSR now houses a Cytek Aurora flow cytometer, an instrument capable of detecting 40 markers in one sample allowing for state-of-the-art multiparametric flow cytometry profiling and immune profiling capabilities. The Specific Aims of FCIMSR are focused on three pillars: Service, Education, and Collaboration. The short-term goals of FCIMSR are to increase knowledge of advanced flow cytometric and immune monitoring assays, provide and expand services offered in these areas, and encourage collaborations between FCIMSR and other UACC Shared Resources to meet UACC Member needs more efficiently and economically. The long-term goal and vision for this facility is to evolve as a well-established, comprehensive flow cytometric and immune monitoring facility, offering the latest and most innovative technologies to UACC Members in areas of both fundamental and translational cancer research.