September 20, 2019

Dr. Nitin Karandikar received a VA grant award, entitled “ShEEP Request for Cytek AURORA Spectral Flow Cytometer,” under the VA’s Shared Equipment Evaluation Program (ShEEP).

This $422,500 award will enable the purchase a new state-of-the-art multichromatic flow cytometer that will support and enhance the specialized technologic needs of multiple VA-funded researchers at the Iowa City VA and University of Iowa.  Specifically, the plan is to obtain a Cytek Aurora Spectral Flow Cytometer, with a 5-laser option that will allow simultaneous evaluation of over 35 parameters, made possible by full spectrum unmoving of fluorescence.  A group of 7 VA-funded major and minor users contributed to the application, including Drs. Nitin Karandikar (PI), Hai-Hui (Howard) Xue, Mary Wilson, Chen Zhao, Lee-Ann Allen, Kamal Rahmouni and Nedim Ince, representing a broad and diverse research portfolio that includes studies of infectious diseases (Leishmania, Francisella, H. pylori), autoimmune diseases (including neuroinflammatory disease and inflammatory bowel disease), graft-vs-host disease, neuronal mechanisms of obesity-induced hypertension and fundamental study of leukemic stem cells as well as genesis of B-cell lymphoma.  These ongoing studies as well as future proposals will be greatly enhanced by having this technological capacity available to researchers across the campus.

This is Dr. Karandikar’s fourth shared equipment grant award, including three previous ones from the NIH. These types of applications represent a significant amount of effort, which is a worthwhile investment because these awards can have a broad institutional impact supporting a stronger research mission.