BD FACSDiscover S8 sorter: Essential for Babraham Institute and Research Campus Science

Flow cytometry (FC) is essential in many areas of life science research, including immunology, haematology, cell biology and cancer studies. At the Babraham Institute (BI), we study healthy ageing across the lifecourse, and FC is an essential tool for this. The BI FC Facility ("Facility") is an important resource for BI scientists and is essential for over 20 biotech companies based on the Babraham Research Campus (BRC). The Facility aims 'To provide a flow cytometry service to enhance and advance Institute Science, utilising state-of-the-art equipment.' To remain innovative and enable BI scientists and other users to continue and advance their cutting-edge research, it is vital for BI to invest in the Becton Dickinson FACSDiscover S8 Spectral Sorter with Cell View Technology (S8).

The Facility houses state-of-the-art cytometers including the latest spectral cytometers. BI scientists have embraced spectral cytometry by moving their experiments from conventional to spectral instruments, for both analysis and sorting. We are also experiencing an increasing demand for image analysers - usage has increased by 70% over the past 12 months. A significant limitation of our current sorter (which is run as a service - 2182h in 2023) is that it is not possible to sort cells based on their morphology or location of fluorescence. Thus, the S8 sorter will form an important and unique role in the comprehensive cell sorting service run by our team of experts.

A survey of BI and BRC scientists estimated use of the S8 to be ~19 hours a week, demonstrating it is much needed, would form an integral part of the facility and would be heavily used. Commercial use not only provides companies access to this novel technology to advance their research but will support the financial sustainability of the facility; meeting objectives from the BBSRC Institute Strategy1.

Accessing the S8 via the Facility will advance strategically funded BSBRC research at BI, focused on improving health and wellbeing across the life course, in addition to furthering the objectives of other funding programmes. It will be significant for the 10 groups whose science is outlined in the Vision and will provide unique tools for improving research integrity. These include supporting sorts looking at the quality of the sample, checking where the fluorescence is located, identifying autofluorescent populations and for confidence in gating and sorting the correct populations. This information can be transferred to other sorters if necessary or cells can be sorted on the S8. Gaining this information is important for training the flow team (Research Technical Professionals; RTPs) in sample preparation, gating and being able to feed this information back to the end user.

The Facility plays an important role in knowledge exchange and training for the FC community. The internationally recognised Facility hosts regular training courses on all aspects of FC including, spectral and sorting. The S8 would be used in these courses. The Facility also hosts an annual Spectral Symposium which involved practical sessions and workshops where the S8 would be showcased.