October 3, 2008 - The BSL-2+ room for the Reflection sorter is finished. Due to the long delay in finishing the room iCyt has taken the instrument back to Illinois to check it out and install a couple major upgrades that occurred during the time (10 months) it was in storage here.  We anticipate installation to begin the week of October 27.

October 1, 2008 -  The BD LSRII is installed.  This instrument will provide us with state-of-the-art analysis.  The instrument has 7 lasers and can detect 18 colors of fluorescence simultaneously.  In addition, it can use a PMT for forward scatter for sensitive detection of small particles.  The LSRII also has a high throughput sampleer than can automatically sample cells from 96 or 384 well plates.

April 2008 - Lisa Bixby joins the lab.  Lisa came to us from The University of Georgia where she recently completed a Master's Degree in Immunology studying the immune response to T. gondii.  She used flow cytometry extensively in this work.  Lisa will primarily be responsible for the Reflection sorter and the BSL-2+ sorting facility.

February 4, 2008 -  New scheduling calendar and website go online.  This upgraded (but still not complete) website and the upgraded scheduling calendar are now active.  The scheduling calendars have several new features.  Primarily they will now be accurate at all times when viewed from the web  (assuming everyone follows the rules and enters their appointments).  We will no longer print the paper calendars like we have for the past 5 years.  See the "Instrument Schedules" for details.

January 1, 2008 - Dako is purchased by Beckman-Coulter.  The Dako flow cytometry division (formerly Cytomation) was purchased by Beckman-Coulter effective January 1, 2008.  We do not expect any major alterations to how we do business with Beckman-Coulter compared to Dako.

December 18, 2007 - Our newest sorter - the iCyt Visionary Bioscience Reflection - has arrived.  Unfortunately the Medical School has been unable to prepare the room for it and so it is in storage until the room is ready.  The Reflection will be housed in Room 631 Mary Ellen Jones.  The Reflection provide many new features for us.  First, we will operate it using BSL-3 practices - although we will limit the samples only to BSL-2+ levels.  This will permit us to now sort most human samples.  The Reflection will provide 6 lasers wavelengths for fluorochrome excitation - 355nm (UV), 405nm (violet), 488nm (blue), 532nm (green), 594nm (orange), and 640nm (red).  We will be able to collect at least 11 colors of fluorescence emission.  The Reflection provides dual sort units meaning it is essentially 2 sorters - the 2 sort units can be run simultaneously.  See Reflection for more details.

December 1, 2007 - MoFlo XDP.  We have upgraded MoFlo2 to the newest MoFlo - the MoFlo XDP.  The instrument has increased capabilities over the MoFlo.  The MoFlo XDP is equipped with 3 lasers - 405nm, 488nm, and 633nm.  It has 10 fluorescence detection channels in addition to forward and side scatters.  The electronics are now all digital - no log amps - and provide true 5-decade log amplification.  There are many features that make the instrument easier to operate which will enhance the sorting capability.  The instrument maintains all of the fluidics features that made the original MoFlo an excellent sorter.  See MoFlo XDP for additional details.