J. J. MacIsaac Facility for Aquatic Cytometry
The MacIsaac Facility is dedicated to the application of new technology to the study of planktonic aquatic microbes. This multi-user facility, founded in 1981, provides access to the latest cytometric instruments, technologies, and applications for scientific research and training. Modern cytometric methods are used to study the ecology and biology of planktonic viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and phytoplankton in natural systems, laboratory experiments, and cultures. Numerous scientists, from within Bigelow and from around the world, use the facility for routine cell counting, development of new applications, and postdoctoral training. The facility houses several flow cytometers and cell sorters, and microscopy and imaging systems, including the FlowCAM® imaging-in-flow analyzer, an instrument invented at Bigelow Laboratory, which is now manufactured by Fluid Imaging Technologies. We operate an at-sea sorting lab van for scientists who wish to sort cells from fresh samples during research cruises to use for applications including cultivation, elemental analysis, and single-cell genomics.
