CYTO 2014 Notes: New Instruments Session
This is the second blog in a series covering CYTO 2014, held this May 17-22 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Mainly in the form of raw notes, the intent of this series is to highlight talks, events, and trends from the annual cytometry congress and trade show that I found noteworthy. Clarifications, corrections, comments, and other suggestions welcome.
The New Instruments parallel session took place Tuesday, May 20. Co-chaired by Dr. Giacomo Vacca (Kinetic River, Cupertino, CA) and Toralf Kaiser (DRFZ, Berlin, Germany), the session featured talks by four speakers: Patrick Jenkins (New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM), Dr. Ruud Hulspas (Cytonome, Boston, MA), Prof. Tony Huang (Penn State University, University Park, PA), and Dr. Markus Beck (University of Twente, Twente, The Netherlands).
The session drew a large crowd (see photo). My notes of the presenters’ talks follow.
Patrick Jenkins, NMSU
Sorting Cells Based on Fluorescence Lifetime Changes in FRET
– using phase modulation lifetime measurements on modified BD FACSVantage
– did not measure LLOD
– lifetime resolution ~ 1ns
– can sort on FL LT alone
– no real difference b/w using phase or lifetime as parameters
– Q (Bob Leif): Can you apply this technique to scanning laser microscopy?
A (PJ): Yes (done in Brent lab)
Ruud Hulspas, Cytonome
An Advanced Prototype Instrument for Clinical Cell Sorting
– microfluidic cell sorter–with sorting function both on and off chip (jet-in-air)
– uf sorting mechanism: push/pull with membrane, air cushions, symmetric arms (need second arm for fast streamline recovery after pulse)
– use segmented mirror to split single laser beam into 72 beamlets
– each beamlet goes to a separate flow channel on chip
– scattered/fluorescence light from each flow channel captured by collection lenses, fibers; delivered to 72 x (3? 4?) detection channels
– pressures/flow velocities: on chip 15 psi, 1.7 m/s; off chip 50-70 psi, 20 m/s
– sorted 48k events/s on chip, volumetric rate 50 mL/hr
– chip all enclosed (no biohazard), disposable
– (Jim Leary): uf chip eliminates jet-in-air’s explosive decompression @ nozzle, is gentler on cells
Tony Huang, Penn State
Acoustic Tweezers with Surface Acoustic Waves
– SAWs safe, biocompatible, cheap, compact, and low-power
– manipulate position of cells arbitrarily in x-y
– Q (Jim Leary): What are the smallest particles you have sorted?
A (TH): 3-5 nm
Markus Beck, U. Twente
Point-of-Care Cell Counting
– want to integrate malaria, hematology, flow cytometry in POC unit
– Abs in gelatin: ~20-min. incubation
– volume determined by chamber height
– used RGB LEDs (~1-2 W each) with imaging architecture
– Q (Giacomo Vacca): Analysis by hand? Algorithms? On- or off-line?
A (MB): On a separate PC; fast PC –> 5-s computation
– Q (GV): Cost of Abs?
A (MB): 10¢/test (small amount of Abs on each chip)
Image credits: CYTO/ISAC
