Faculty and Staff
The Cytometry and Cellular Imaging Core Facility is directed and managed by research professionals who provide users with the ability to obtain high-quality data and sorted cell populations derived from complex instrumentation that requires specialized training to use and maintain. In addition to operating, maintaining and analyzing data from flow cytometers, cell sorters and confocal microscopes, staff members provide protocols and training and consult with users on a one-on-one basis regarding new assays.
Director
Michael Andreeff, M.D., Ph.D.
713-792-7261
Dr. Andreeff joined MD Anderson in 1990 after having worked at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in New York, NY, in the Departments of Pathology and Leukemia. Dr. Andreeff has been a pioneer in flow cytometry since 1971, when he established the first flow cytometry laboratory at the University of Heidelberg and organized the first European meeting on flow cytometry. In 1977, he joined Drs. Melamed and Darzynkiewicz at MSKCC and became head of the Leukemia Cell Biology and Hematopathology flow cytometry laboratory. He is professor of medicine and holds the Paul and Mary Haas Chair in Genetics. He is PI of a P01 grant entitled “The Therapy of AML” and participates as PI in the Leukemia and Breast Cancer SPOREs and the CML P01 at MD Anderson. He heads the Section of Molecular Hematology and Therapy, which is adjacent to the North Campus Flow Cytometry Core Facility. Dr. Andreeff provides overall direction of the Core facility and assists users with the design and implementation of their experiments. He develops and evaluates new technologies and applications. In the last five years, he recruited and trained Drs. Douglas Weidner, Randall Evans, Karen Clise-Dwyer and Jared Burks, as well as Wendy Schober, and selected and secured funds from the institution for new equipment. He will continue to dedicate 10% of his time to the Core facility.
Co-Director
Jared Burks Ph.D.
Y8.5311a
713-7926592
jburks@mdanderson.org
Dr. Burks obtained his Ph.D. from Texas A&M University working on protein trafficking to the cell surface and nucleus during baculovirus infection. His post-doctoral work at Baylor College of Medicine in the department of Surgery focused on p53 protein trafficking during CMV infection. He has more than thirteen years experience in microscopic imaging techniques, in particular spinning disc confocal microscopy. Dr. Burks was recruited into the Core laboratory in 2007 where he has developed his background in flow cytometry. He is in charge of cellular imaging on the North Campus and directs operations of the North Campus facility.
Co-Director
Karen Clise-Dwyer, Ph.D.
SCRB3.3015
713-563-3322
kcdwyer@mdanderson.org
Dr. Clise-Dwyer obtained her Ph.D. in biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she studied the effects of a BAFF-R mutation on the development of humoral immunity. She did postdoctoral research at the Trudeau Institute studying the effects of aging on lymphocyte development before joining MD Anderson’s Flow Cytometry and Cellular Imaging Core Facility in 2006. She has 10 years of experience in development of flow cytometric applications in immunology, apoptosis, leukemia and stem cell research. She directs operations of the South Campus facility.
North Campus (Yellow Zone 8th floor, Y8.5305, 5311, & 5315)
Room Y8.5305
713-792-7631
Laboratory Manager
Wendy Schober, M.L.T. (ASCP)
713-792-7631
wdschobe@mdanderson.org
Wendy has more than 20 years of extensive experience in all aspects of flow cytometry technologies and applications, specializing in sorting and multiparameter analysis. She is responsible for assisting clients with training, operation, acquisition, analysis, data interpretation and presentation, as well as instrument quality control, maintenance and troubleshooting. She previously coordinated the Flow Cytometry/ Cell Sorting Core laboratory at the Baylor College of Medicine. She is responsible for the FACS Caliburs, FACS Array, BD LSR II, FACS Aria and FACS-Vantage cell sorters.
Research Investigator
Duncan H. Mak, MPhil
Duncan has over 15 years of research experience in biochemical pharmacology and hematology, with 8 years of experience in multiparameter analysis with flow cytometry - studying apoptotic and autophagic cell death, cell proliferation, DNA damage, surface markers, intra-cellular protein levels in cell lines and primary human samples. He is specialized in adapting protocols for high throughput analyses using microplates on the BD FACSArray and LSR-II.
Coord, Flow Cytometry Lab
Nalini Patel
Nalini Patel has more than 15 years of experience in Flow cytometry instrumentation and applications. Her background in flow cytometry procedures includes staining, analyzing and interpreting samples for DNA/BRDU, TUNEL, apoptosis, autophagy, fluorescent proteins, multi-parameter surface markers, and high speed sorting from blood, bone marrow and solid tumors. She also has experience with immunohistochemistry and cell culture techniques, which supplements the flow techniques.
She is proficient in operation, quality control maintenance and troubleshooting of flow cytometry instrumentation and oversees the daily functions of the Flow Cytometry Core Facility. She is able to provide clients with procedures and advice to optimize their flow cytometry assays. She schedules clients, maintains inventory, provides client training on instrumentation and writes standard operating procedures as needed. Nalini is skilled with current computer applications and has extensive experience with flow cytometry software, including the new BCI Kaluza, ModFit, BD DIVA, Winlist and Summit.
South Campus (SCRB I)
Room SCRB3.123
713-563-3345
Laboratory Manager
Karen Ramirez
713-563-3345
kmramirez@mdanderson.org
Karen has more than 20 years of FACS experience and was the manager of the Immunology Department FACS facility for 10 years, prior to the establishment of the CCIR FACS facility. She is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the South Campus facility, for training users on the FACScan and FACSCalibur and for running samples on the XL, in addition to operating the FACS Aria cell sorters.
Coordinator, Flow Cytometry Lab
Zhiwei (David) He, M.S.
David has more than six years of cell sorting/complex multiparameter FACS experience.