The microarray facility provides a full service from starting material - sample of interest (e.g. cells, tissue, organism, plant), cellular constituent (e.g. total RNA, microRNA, gDNA, captured DNA) or labelled, amplified product (e.g. cRNA, cDNA) as preferred/ appropriate for the project or consortium – to a quality controlled dataset.
Service includes sample preparation, where requested, hybridisation of prepared sample to the chosen species-specific GeneChip® array in the Hybridisation Oven 640, automated washing and staining in the FS450 fluidics station and image acquisition and data generation in the GCS3000 7G confocal laser scanner. We are able to provide a service for all GeneChip® cartridge format arrays.
For users requesting expression analysis and providing RNA, we require 500ng of total RNA that has been purified and DNase treated for our standard service. However, we are able to work with much lower amounts of RNA and routinely utilise 100ng of high quality starting total RNA. Please contact us if you have any specific requirements.
The data generated will undergo QC analysis and then be provided to the service user. The dataset will include raw (CEL) and, where appropriate, normalised (CHP, RMA, PLIER) data files and will be transferred to the service user via ftp. Data will be stored in our secure online database for a minimum of 6 months from project completion.
The service is available to University of Aberdeen faculty and staff, and external Universities, Institutes and Companies. Please direct initial enquires to Dr Elaina Collie-Duguid, CGEBM Manager. An initial consultation is recommended to discuss project requirements prior to grant submission or commencement of sample collection/ preparation.