Full spectrum fluorescence Cell sorter and Cell Analyzer

This procurement involves two instruments: 1) one full 5-laser spectral flow cytometer cell sorter with sort-capable image analysis and 2) one five laser fluorescence-activated, spectral-enabled cell analyzer that allows researchers to choose between spectral or compensation-based cell analysis to meet different flow cytometry needs. The selected products together will offer a unique set of features that enables efficient and comprehensive high throughput proteomic characterization of cell suspensions at single-cell resolution. The proposed new instrumention will replace an outdated flow cytometry sorter that has been in use for over 13 years and an old conventional flow cytometry analyzer that has been in use for over 11 years. Both old instruments are nearing the end of their lifespan. The updated sorter instrumentation will meet current and future user needs for cell sorting by offering full spectrum fluorescence options and real-time imaging during sorting. In the biomedical research at the University of Oulu, single-cell analyses have seen a significant increase, as is generally observed in cell studies. Flow cytometry with sorting capabilities is necessary for sorting individual cells. The latest equipment available on the market can image each cell during sorting, thereby ensuring the required purity of cells for single-cell analysis and verifying the accuracy of results. Additionally, by imaging, sensitive cells can be sorted without lengthy cell staining processes, thus maintaining high yields of viable cells, ultimately improving, and expediting result availability. By this imaging system, which most likely soon will become the golden standard for flow cytometry, we ensure that research achieved in University of Oulu fulfills the current and future quality requirements. The imaging flow cytometer also expands the repertoire of imaging equipment at the core facility of Biocenter Oulu at the University of Oulu. The updated flow cytometry analyzer instrumentation will meet current and future user needs for cell analyses by offering full spectrum fluorescence as well as the conventional flow cytometry with compensation. The system will significantly improve the flexibility to perform both conventional and spectral flow cytometry analyses on a single instrument in a core facility environment. The acquisition is related to the project supported by the EAKR of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia ”Ketterät teknologiat innovatiivisten biosovellusten kehittämiseen”. Project code A80838. Funding comes 70% from the aforementioned project and 30% from the Oulu university strategic funds.

This procurement involves two instruments: 1) one full 5-laser spectral flow cytometer cell sorter with sort-capable image analysis and 2) one five laser fluorescence-activated, spectral-enabled cell analyzer that allows researchers to choose between spectral or compensation-based cell analysis to meet different flow cytometry needs. The selected products together will offer a unique set of features that enables efficient and comprehensive high throughput proteomic characterization of cell suspensions at single-cell resolution. The proposed new instrumention will replace an outdated flow cytometry sorter that has been in use for over 13 years and an old conventional flow cytometry analyzer that has been in use for over 11 years. Both old instruments are nearing the end of their lifespan. The updated sorter instrumentation will meet current and future user needs for cell sorting by offering full spectrum fluorescence options and real-time imaging during sorting. In the biomedical research at the University of Oulu, single-cell analyses have seen a significant increase, as is generally observed in cell studies. Flow cytometry with sorting capabilities is necessary for sorting individual cells. The latest equipment available on the market can image each cell during sorting, thereby ensuring the required purity of cells for single-cell analysis and verifying the accuracy of results. Additionally, by imaging, sensitive cells can be sorted without lengthy cell staining processes, thus maintaining high yields of viable cells, ultimately improving, and expediting result availability. By this imaging system, which most likely soon will become the golden standard for flow cytometry, we ensure that research achieved in University of Oulu fulfills the current and future quality requirements. The imaging flow cytometer also expands the repertoire of imaging equipment at the core facility of Biocenter Oulu at the University of Oulu. The updated flow cytometry analyzer instrumentation will meet current and future user needs for cell analyses by offering full spectrum fluorescence as well as the conventional flow cytometry with compensation. The system will significantly improve the flexibility to perform both conventional and spectral flow cytometry analyses on a single instrument in a core facility environment. The core services of the procurement unit require: 1) a sorter device that fulfills all the following technical requirements: a. Provides full 5-laser spectral flow cytometer cell sorter with sort-capable image analysis. The instrument expands the power of cell analysis and sorting to new dimensions by combining full spectrum flow cytometry with real-time spatial and morphological insights, empowering scientists to address previously impossible-to-answer questions. b. 6-way sorting c. Biosafety cabinet 2) an analyzer device that fulfills the following technical requirements: a. allows researchers to choose between spectral or compensation-based cell analysis b. seamless experiment transfer from existing and standardization Flow core Diva-based instruments (LSRFortessa & Aria) c. possibility to continue longitudinal studies with same experiment setup. Experiments can be transferred and standardized between old and new instruments. Direct Procurement Procedure Commercially, only one company BD Biosciences, manufactures a full spectral flow cytometer cell sorter with sort-capable image analysis, BD FACSDiscover™ S8 Cell Sorter with BD CellView™ Image Technology. Unlike other technologies on the market, BD CellView™ Image Technology does not use a camera to image cells. This technical distinction is important as it enables imaging at much faster rates, enabling real-time, high-speed cell sorting fluorescence - capabilities that cannot be found with any cytometer on the market. Other suppliers do not have a license for the BD Bioscience real-time imaging method used in the device (BD FACSDiscover Proprietary Certificate of patented features). The method that enables the real-time imaging of sorted cells with high speed. Commercially, only one company manufactures (BD Biosciences) a full spectral flow cytometer cell analyzer with the possibility to choose between spectral or conventional compensation-based cell analysis. FACSymphony™ A5 SE Cell Analyzer is the fluorescence-activated, spectral-enabled cell analyzer that allows researchers to choose between spectral or compensation-based cell analysis to meet different flow cytometry needs. Justification for Direct Procurement The procurement procedure is direct procurement. The basis for direct procurement is in accordance with the Procurement Act 1397/2016. § 40 2) only a certain supplier can implement the procurement for a technical reason, or for a reason related to protecting an exclusive right; it shall be a further condition that there are no reasonable alternatives or substitute solutions, and that the absence of competition is not due to an artificial narrowing of the terms and conditions of the procurement. BD Biosciences patents for flow cytometry: https://www.bd.com/content/dam/bd-assets/bd-com/en-us/document/patent/bd-life-sciences-segment-patents.pdf including the US patents for BD CellView™ Image Technology: 10935485 Fluorescence imaging flow cytometry with enhanced image resolution 11327003 Characterization and sorting for particle analyzers 11327016 Apparatus and methods for fluorescence imaging using radiofrequency-multiplexed excitation. 11328422 Spectral Unmixing of fluorescence imaging using radiofrequency-multiplexed excitation data. The Contracting authority has inspected the relevant markets and available products. Based on the above evidence, BD Biosciences is the only current supplier that manufactures the devices meeting the needs of the procurement unit. Other manufacturers currently do not have similar devices that can meet all the technical specifications and performance requirements set by the research.