# Improved flow cytometry panel design with a novel automated panel design system

> **NIH NIH R43** · FLUOROFINDER, LLC · 2022 · $356,500

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
FluoroFinder, LLC is developing the FluoroFinder Intellipanel builder, an innovative software system for the
automatic calculation of an optimal fluorochrome cytometry panel. Flow cytometry is a ubiquitous technique in
cell and molecular biology that is increasingly complex due to recent improvements in instrumental capabilities.
It is common for researchers to design cytometry panels that incorporate more than 20-colors in a single
experiment. To successfully design a multi-parameter cytometry panel, researchers must incorporate design
best practices to optimize fluorochrome excitation/emission spillover, optimize for fluorochrome brightness
through antigen density, and they must select antibodies from an extensive and diverse antibody market. Both
experts and non-experts would benefit from an approach that automatically calculates an optimal panel based
on their instrumental configuration and experimental biomarkers. FluoroFinder has previously developed a
manual panel builder that incorporates an extensive multi-supplier database that includes all commercially
available instruments, all fluorochromes, and over 3 million antibodies to streamline all aspects of panel design.
In this proposal, FluoroFinder will leverage these extensive databases to build the Intellipanel builder. The
Intellipanel builder will generate an optimal panel for a user’s experiment by accounting for user specific
experimental configurations, employing user and experimental specific gating strategies, and quantitatively
minimizing fluorescent spillover. This is expected to significantly reduce the time to develop complex cytometry
panels and significantly reduce or potentially eliminate errors in design. This is also expected to reduce the
barrier to entry for non-expert researchers that are involved in flow cytometry. The goals of this Phase I proposal
are to restructure databases and develop algorithms with the support of expert cytometrists to quantitatively
compare fluorochromes (Aim 1), demonstrate efficacy by surveying a panel of cytometry experts on Intellipanel
generated panels (Aim 2), and develop an intuitive web application to support a streamlined user experience
(Aim 3).

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10472172
- **Project number:** 1R43GM143945-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** FLUOROFINDER, LLC
- **Principal Investigator:** Daren Young
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $356,500
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-09-15 → 2024-06-14

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10472172

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10472172, Improved flow cytometry panel design with a novel automated panel design system (1R43GM143945-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10472172. Licensed CC0.

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