CORE 007 – FLOW CYTOMETRY SHARED RESOURCE PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The Flow Cytometry Shared Resource (FCSR) supports the goals of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC) by providing state-of-the-art equipment and expertise to analyze and sort individual cells for VICC members. The FCSR works closely with VICC members to efficiently develop and refine their experiments involving flow cytometry on cancer-related samples. Cells and tissues isolated from the various cancer milieus require specialized techniques and skills to optimize assays and interpret data, which the FCSR possesses. The overall strategy and goals of the FCSR are guided and developed to meet the needs of the VICC members, specifically as a major user component and scientific catalyst at Vanderbilt. A key component of the shared resource is the expertise that has been developed over the past 10 years within the team. This team is able to keep the cytometers running at maximal efficiency and assist users to ensure the success of both analytical and sorting cytometry. The staff is very proud of our educational service, as we are able to train students, fellows and faculty to use the cytometers to ensure rigor and reproducibility, while also providing 24/7 access. New service lines include optimization of cell sorting for single cell RNAseq in conjunction with the Genome Sciences Shared Resource (GSSR). In addition, the FCSR has acquired a four laser Cytek Aurora spectral cytometer that is capable of 24 color analysis. We expect during the next funding cycle to add additional spectral cytometers to enable lower cost deep phenotyping of cells requiring up to 30-35 markers. We also plan to add a spectral flow cytometer with sorting capabilities to allow deep analysis of tumor samples and sorting of tumor cells and/or cells from the microenvironment (immune or stromal) using a single panel of antibodies. These new acquisitions allow the FCSR and VICC members to stay at the cutting edge of cell phenotyping and isolation.