# BD FACSAriaTM Fusion Fluoresence-Activated Cell Sorter

> **NIH NIH S10** · UNIV OF MASSACHUSETTS MED SCH WORCESTER · 2020 · $564,512

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
This proposal is for the purchase of a Becton Dickenson (BD) FACSAria Fusion cell sorter in an integrated
biosafety cabinet for placement in the UMass Medical School (UMMS) Flow Cytometry Research Core Facility
that serves over 120 principal investigators each year, 70 of whom currently rely on cell sorting. The Flow Core
currently utilizes four BD FACSAria IIs cell sorters that are all between 10 and 15 years old, all of which will
become obsolete in 2022 when the manufacturer discontinues parts and service support for all Aria II
instruments. Our researchers that depend on these instruments come from 14 different departments and over
90% of them are NIH-funded. These investigators have helped to make UMMS a world-leader in translational
research, coupling basic biomedical research to a bench-to-bedside innovation engine. UMMS researchers
have made pivotal advances in HIV, cancer, diabetes, autoimmunity, infectious disease and in understanding
the molecular basis of disease. Cell sorting has been central to many of these advances. Our current, heaviest
cell sorting usage comes from the new UMMS RNA Therapeutics Institute. The RTI is dedicated to leveraging
the strong RNA biology and clinical research communities at UMMS to develop novel therapies for which RNA
is the therapeutic target or modality. Several other Major Users come from the UMMS Diabetes Center of
Excellence that brings together diabetes investigators with a focus on human biology, including the cellular
processes that contribute to insulin-producing cell dysfunction, autoimmunity, pancreatic β-cell proliferation,
and potential prevention and reversion strategies. As our current sorters are booked to capacity two weeks in
advance, these investigators in particular struggle for timely access to cell sorting because this research
depends on precious, unique patient material that can arrive unpredictably. The 5-laser BD Fusion will be an
essential first step in the update of our Core Instrumentation and its addition will also greatly increase access
to sorting for our users, as we will continue using our older sorters as long as possible, until additional new cell
sorters are acquired. The UMMS Research Advisory Committee has endorsed in principle a plan to replace
three of our aging cell sorters over the next 3 years. Recognizing that institutional funds are limiting, this
proposal for a Shared Instrumentation Grant is an essential part of that plan, as our need to replace three cell
sorters in a short time far exceeds the available UMMS equipment replacement budget. The new BD Fusion
with UV laser and increased sensitivity for small particle detection will not only replace the outdated equipment
but will also improve the sensitivity, resolution, and reproducibility of our sorting capabilities. As our 3 most-
used sorters will become obsolete when service and parts become unavailable in 2022, we cannot wait for
them to begin failing before we purchase replacements. Th...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9940260
- **Project number:** 1S10OD028576-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF MASSACHUSETTS MED SCH WORCESTER
- **Principal Investigator:** CAROL E SCHRADER
- **Activity code:** S10 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $564,512
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-03-18 → 2021-03-17

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9940260

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9940260, BD FACSAriaTM Fusion Fluoresence-Activated Cell Sorter (1S10OD028576-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9940260. Licensed CC0.

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