Director: Jeanine M. Walenga, PhD

The Beckman Coulter ELITE flow cytometer-cell sorter is a unique tool used to perform a multitude of imaging analyses on cells derived from tissue and blood. The current interests in the Department of Pathology include human and animal research investigations as well as developmental projects that lead to enhanced patient diagnostic testing in the areas of leukemia, oncology, platelet disorders, and thrombosis.

Through size discrimination; light scatter characteristics; and monoclonal antibody binding to specific ligands, receptors, altered receptors, or membrane components, cells can be identified in various stages of quiescence, structural configuration changes, activation, cell-cell interaction, or apoptosis.

The advantage of the ELITE is that, in addition to the flow cytometric detection, any identifiable cell population can be isolated from the sample and physically removed for further testing. This includes but is not limited to leukocytes, platelets, erythrocytes, oncology patient tissue cells, cells from culture, genetically engineered cells, and others.