# Flow cytometer for analysis of immune and other cell types

> **NIH NIH S10** · UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO MED SCIENCES · 2024 · $243,119

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Researchers at the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus (UPR MSC) are proposing to purchase
a BD FACSymphony A1TM flow cytometer with 4 lasers that can detect up to 19 different parameters in cells
and/or particles that include size, complexity and fluorescent-tagged markers. The associated BDFACSDiva
software has the capacity to quantify 16 different cell types from complex single-cell suspensions, as per the
experimental and teaching needs of faculty and residents, and graduate, medical, and undergraduate students
at the UPR MSC. UPR MSC is the only public institution in Puerto Rico offering a comprehensive academic
program in health-related sciences and plays a leadership role in teaching and training underrepresented
minority students (>98% Hispanic) and in conducting research on health problems of the Puerto Rican population.
This equipment is sorely needed because currently, the whole campus only has 2 flow cytometers in individual
laboratories at the biomedical research building: BD FACSCelesta analyzer with 2 lasers and a MACS Quant 16
from Miltenyi. These flow cytometers are heavily used by the independent laboratories and are only available for
collaborative research, and not for independent research or educational use. Both cytometers are different and
require distinct training, thus the users do not have an alternative when one instrument is unexpectedly out of
commission. The PI’s NIH and DoD/US Army funded research on experimental cancer therapeutics relies heavily
on analyzing immune cells in the tumor microenvironment from mouse and human blood and tissues. The PI’s
close collaborator and co-investigator of this proposal, Dr. Dorta-Estremera, a cancer immunologist, is a young
investigator with multiple NIH-funded developmental grants, focused on studying immunotherapy responses and
the tumor microenvironment in Hispanic cancer patients, that require quantification of immune cell populations
via flow cytometry. The other users also have projects on identifying immune cell populations in cancer, as well
as in infections (HIV), autoimmune (colitis), and neurodegenerative (Alzheimer’s) diseases. Dr. Dorta is highly
experienced with flow cytometry analysis and will play a lead role in training students and faculty and
maintenance of the instrument. The flow cytometer will be housed in a dedicated space in a core facility at the
UPR MSC main building that will be accessible to all faculty and students. The institutional benefit is the
acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment that will support health-related research projects from both senior and
junior faculty and will be an important tool to forward their career development and generate data for grant
proposals and publications. The equipment is also expected to serve as a teaching tool for students and residents
to gain expertise in this high-end technology. Overall, acquisition of the flow cytometer will forward our broad
long-term objectives of...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10878350
- **Project number:** 1S10GM154228-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO MED SCIENCES
- **Principal Investigator:** SURANGANIE DHARMAWARDHANE
- **Activity code:** S10 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $243,119
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-08-01 → 2025-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10878350

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10878350, Flow cytometer for analysis of immune and other cell types (1S10GM154228-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10878350. Licensed CC0.

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