# High-throughput Full Spectrum Cell Sorter

> **NIH NIH S10** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · 2023 · $752,359

## Abstract

Project Summary / Abstract
The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Parnassus Flow Cytometry CoLab (PFCC) is requesting funds to
purchase a next generation Full Spectrum Cell Sorter. We have chosen the ThermoFisher Invitrogen™ BigFoot full spectrum
cell sorter as the instrument that best fulfills the needs of the unsatiable demand for high resolution multidimension single
cell data by our highly esteemed NIH-funded faculty. The BigFoot will complement our current arsenal of high-parameter
analysis equipment such as the Fluidigm CyTOFs, Cytek Aurora and Becton Dickson FACSymphony X50 while most
importantly adding the highly desired cell sorting capability. The BigFoot maintains the standard cell processing workflow
PFCC users are accustomed to in conventional bandpass-based flow cytometers as well with the Aurora Full Spectrum
Analyzer at PFCC. We will take advantage of the BigFoot's versatility and powerful spectral technology by enabling
collection of fluorescent emission profiles through most of the visible spectra to near-infrared ranges making the number of
parameters that can be investigated on this instrument approaching 35 to 40. The UCSF community has rapidly taken
advantage of the availability of the full spectrum technology for their high-parameter research, the BigFoot will uniquely add
cell sorting capabilities to aid the quest to understand the complex dynamics of changing cell population in disease
progression, therapy and remission. Our Researchers have extensive experience in high-parameter data
acquisition/analysis using Mass Cytometry resulting in 29 high impact publications over the last 4 years at UCSF, with at
least 5 more in review. However, full spectrum flow cytometry is becoming a formidable technology to multiparameter
analysis using mass cytometry; transition to the Aurora full spectrum analyzer has gained momentum due to the ease of
sample preparations, simplicity of use, high-throughput (50 times faster) and especially the cost savings compared to mass
cytometry. Within 1 year of installation, a peer review paper using the Aurora has been published. The high-throughput
capabilities coupled with minimal sample loss during preparation and acquisition makes the technology amenable to
samples with extremely low cell numbers. Hence, sorting on high-parameter panels of over 25 fluorescent markers has
been in demand; however, no cell sorter is currently available at UCSF that allows panels of more than 18 fluorescent
markers to be used. The BigFoot will augment the Full Spectrum Flow Cytometry portfolio at UCSF and the ability to
simultaneously sort cell populations of interest which will be foundational in providing further information on cellular
dynamics during multi-drug clinical research. Due to the COVID-19 lockdown, and limited accessibility at PFCC an ever-
increasing number of processed clinical samples has been accumulating adding to the already pre-existing bank of samples
ready for high-parameter analys...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10431645
- **Project number:** 1S10OD032441-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- **Principal Investigator:** Vinh Nguyen
- **Activity code:** S10 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $752,359
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2023-09-01 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10431645

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10431645, High-throughput Full Spectrum Cell Sorter (1S10OD032441-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10431645. Licensed CC0.

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