# Cytek 3-laser Aurora

> **NIH NIH S10** · WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $259,000

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
The West Virginia University (WVU) Flow Cytometry & Single Cell Core Facility (FCSCCF) is a centralized
institutional shared research resource facility that serves the research community at WVU and other regional
institutions. The WVU FCSCCF operates in accordance with best practices in operations and management
for institutional shared research facilities. Services are driven by the needs of the users’ NIH-funded projects
in biomedical research in 4 primary areas:1) investigator-initiated grants (R01 and R21), 2) grants from the
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (CoBRE
P20 GM121322 and P20 GM109098), 3) NIGMS supported Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI,
U54 GM104942), and 4) NIGMS supported Idea Network for Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE P20
GM103434) programs. Currently, two flow cytometers are available to researchers using the WVU FCSCCF:
1) a 4-laser Becton Dickinson (BD) LSRFortessa analytic flow cytometer, purchased with an NIH S10 grant
(awarded in 2013) and 2) a 4-laser BD FACSAria III cell sorter, purchased in 2017 with funds from the WV
CTSI. High usage of the LSRFortessa has caused some researchers to analyze their samples on the more
expensive and slower FACSAria III cell sorter, which increases the time and cost of their research. In 2019,
billed usage for analytical samples was 85.6% of the accessible users time (AUT) (1189.4 hr (71.5% AUT)
on the LSRFortessa and 235.8 hr (14.2% AUT) on the FACS Aria III). In the past year, two users have
needed to detect more than the maximum of 17 fluorochromes that the LSRFortessa can detect in a single
sample and have been sending samples to the University of Virginia’s flow cytometry core for analysis on a
Cytek Aurora. By sending samples to another institution, researchers incur a higher cost and longer lag times
between sample collection and data analysis. Additionally, several WVU FCSCCF users study rare cell
populations, which is particularly challenging when users are forced to analyze samples on the FACSAria III.
After evaluating several analytical flow cytometers, we determined that the Cytek 3-laser Aurora has the best
combination of features to meet the WVU FCSCCF users’ current and anticipated needs. Addition of the
Cytek flow cytometer will support our NIH-funded investigators by increasing access to cutting edge
technology and reducing wait time and costs, thereby increasing competitiveness.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10170799
- **Project number:** 1S10OD028605-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** KATHLEEN M BRUNDAGE
- **Activity code:** S10 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $259,000
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-04-01 → 2022-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10170799

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10170799, Cytek 3-laser Aurora (1S10OD028605-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10170799. Licensed CC0.

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