The Immunology Core Laboratory (ICL) supports nonhuman primate research for investigators at the SNPRC and Texas Biomedical Research Institute, as well as scientists from around the country with these core services:

Flow Cytometry

flow cytometryUsed for cell sorting and phenotyping, flow cytometry scans single cells flowing past excitation sources in a liquid medium. It lets researchers precisely identify a number of immune system components and their role in disease or in response to vaccines. Flow cytometry also identifies and separates cells of different lineages, which makes it a critical aid in facilitating stem cell research.

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Luminex Technology

luminexThe core provides methodologies for the simultaneous determination of multiple cytokines and chemokines in biological fluids derived from nonhuman primates. The core has developed a Luminex-based platform for the identification of 32 cytokines in fluids from Old World monkeys and is developing new reagents for the marmoset. The Luminex system is a bench-top flow cytometer with two low-power laser beams. It allows us to simultaneously perform up to 100 tests in a single sample.

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Serological Surveillance

Although no test is perfectly accurate and sensitive, serology assays are sensitive, specific, readily automated and form the foundation for most colony health screening programs. We use it for a number of viral agents relevant for our NHP colony management and research. In just two years, we’ve assisted 30 investigators, performed close to 25,000 flow cytometry and Luminex assays and tested the viral status of more than 1,200 monkeys.