Flow Cytometry

About

Flow Cytometry and Fluorescent Activated Cell Sorting (FACS) utilises lasers and photon detectors to capture vital information about cells, cellular components and other particles. The technology relies heavily on the use of fluorescent probes to detect molecules of interest associated with normal or disease states. The technology is capable of providing data from over 40,000 cells per second and provides our researchers with a vast amount of information.

Flow cytometry is at the forefront of immunology, cancer and infectious disease research, with ever-evolving innovative technology paving the way for scientific advancements. Flow cytometry allows the rapid detection and identification of distinctive characteristics on individual cells based on light scatter and fluorescence emission.

Immunophenotyping and profiling of different immune cell populations is crucial in immunology research, making flow cytometry an indispensable tool that enables large amounts of complex and comprehensive data to be acquired in a short period of time.

QIMR Berghofer was one of the first institutes in Australia to provide flow cytometry and FACS to researchers in 1979.

Services

Our Flow Cytometry Facility consists of internationally recognised cytometry experts that provide world-class flow cytometry services for scientists in Australia and beyond. We work alongside researchers, ensuring up-to date technology and analytical software which accommodates the applications required by our scientists, and these services are also available to external clients.

Our Facility is well equipped with a range of different flow cytometers (conventional, spectral, and image cytometers), cell sorters and data analysis software, as well as a dedicated space for the processing of samples for our researchers, external clients and clinical trials.

Our Flow Cytometry and Imaging Facility integrates flow cytometry and microscopy-based imaging, utilising similar technologies, including lasers and detectors, and relying heavily on the use of fluorescent molecules to detect molecules of interest.

This offers researchers the benefits of knowledge and experience in both flow cytometry and microscopy:

consultation with world-renowned staff for *up to 40 colour* bespoke panel design
sample preparation through to data acquisition and analysis
flow cytometry data acquisition
standard flow cytometry
spectral flow cytometry
image cytometry
fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS)
human, animal, cell lines, and biosecurity samples accommodated
flow cytometry data analysis
standard flow cytometry analysis using FlowJo, FCS Express, OMIQ, ModFit analytical software
spectral flow cytometry analysis
image cytometry analysis.

Clinical Trials

able to run samples as part of early-phase clinical trial research
dedicated laboratory for the running of clinical samples
full panel validations and verifications as needed
working within robust Quality Management System
NATA accreditation for ISO/IEC 17025.

Key publications

Phase Ib open-label, multicenter study of pixatimod, an activator of TLR9, in combination with nivolumab in subjects with microsatellite-stable metastatic colorectal cancer. C Lemech, K Dredge, D Bampton, E Hammond, A Clouston, et al.,Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer 11 (1), e006136

Immune contexture analysis in immuno‐oncology: applications and challenges of multiplex fluorescent immunohistochemistry. R Shakya, TH Nguyen, N Waterhouse, R Khanna. Clinical & Translational Immunology 9 (10), e1183

Human peripheral blood DNAM-1neg NK cells are a terminally differentiated subset with limited effector functions. KA Stannard, S Lemoine, NJ Waterhouse, F Vari, L Chatenoud, .... Blood advances 3 (11), 1681-1694

Human papillomavirus E7 oncoprotein expression by keratinocytes alters the cytotoxic mechanisms used by CD8 T cells. P Bhat, AS Bergot, N Waterhouse, IH Frazer. Oncotarget 9 (5), 6015

Oncosis and apoptosis induction by activation of an overexpressed ion channel in breast cancer cells. AA Peters, SYN Jamaludin, KTDS Yapa, S Chalmers, AP Wiegmans, et al., Oncogene 36 (46)