Gooday. This mail-out is made to renew contact with the many friends and acquaintances that it has been my privilege and my pleasure to make in the many years I've been in and out of flow Cytometry. They are from many countries and diverse backgrounds, and I tell you that I have missed you. So please take a little bit of time to reply to me, and we can renew the interests which brought us mutual excitement at that passed time. If you don't know me, read this anyway, as there may be some salutary lessons here! Canadians (David H?), USAsians (Al, Vince, Jim, Dorothy...), Asians too; French, English (James?) and even cricketers too. Belgians, Dutch (you too Dr Boltz), Germans (Gunther!) and Kiwis, Springboks and the rest of the crew. Right now, I am back IN (to Flow Cytometry, that is; otherwise, I may be passe). To be trendy, I have two email addresses, but the surest is r.ashcroft@unsw.edu.au; else cytomat@netcore.com.au. It is nearly ten years since my last (I)SAC meeting at Ashville, so I know a great deal about withdrawal symptoms. I have started my own company and become a scientific consultant, no contradiction intended. Certain Cell Sorting Pty Ltd is the company. My friend Brian Hall calls it Dubious Cell Sorting, indeed a smear!!! I have connections with two companies I've helped to start: Cytomation Inc at www.cytomation.com and FuCell at www.fucell.unsw.edu.au. I am now working 3/4 time for Cytomation. We recently installed a MoFlo at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Melbourne and I have been busy chasing down a bug in the exciting 4-way sort feature that it incorporates: Full Left; Half Left; Half Right; Full Right It is just like the one Tom Jovin built in Goettingen 17 years ago, except that is a production model. The bug showed as lowered purities from the normal 2-way sorting performance. We have fixed it now and get 4-way sorting with 99.9% purities at flow rates of 10,000 cells/s plus. It is a very impressive machine, but not for everyone! I work in Sydney for the other 1/4 of my time, at FuCell. We developed a novel cell fusion method which allows us to perform selective binary fusions, using just two chosen cells. Basically, we immortalise normal cells by fusing them one on one with cells from a cell line. It is a perfect way to make hybridomas, eg, for human antibody production, but it may be applied to other cell types as well, for production of other secretory products. My 3 children are now aged 13, 11 and 6. Michael is bigger than me, and I say "sir" whenever we talk. Jennifer is greatly into meaningful relationships and Dave is happy that the Tooth Fairy now pays $3 per tooth, since he has just lost 4 of them. I would indeed be glad to hear from you, if you have the time or the inclination. So, put aside a few minutes and tell me your own doings, comings and goings. Cheers and my very best wishes; Bob Ashcroft.
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