UG Summer Placement 2026 - University of Edinburgh - Hall Group

You will manage your own project to develop a novel analysis workflow. The FACSDiscover S8 imaging cell sorter cannot directly measure the size of an object.  This is because it does not use traditional microscopy optics to directly view the cell, but uses laser beamlets and photon detectors to interpolate an image from the moving cell.  This results in image variation depending upon the detector settings, laser performance, and the speed in which the cell moves through the instrument.  The project will develop a method to understand this uncertainty and to develop a reproducible method that can be used in subsequent experiments.  To complete this project, you will need to learn the operation of the instrument, be able to perform a vigorous scientific experiment, record analyse & interpret data, and most importantly, you will need to learn to effectively work with your academic and facility collaborators. 

You will be provided with particles of differing sizes and fluorescent properties and you will use these to characterise how particle size and refractive index influences the instrument readings.  You will then adjust the speed and pressure of the instrument to characterise how these variables affect the results previously obtained.  A workflow will be developed to calibrate the instrument to measure size accurately and will be compared with results obtained using a fluorescent microscope.  At the end you will present your work in a group meeting and produce a poster to display at future events.