Abstract
Aalborg Instruments
Molbox Recalibrations and Certifications
Equipment manufactured, configured, and supported by Fluke software and approved methodologies are now being used to calibrate Molboxes (1+, models A350/A700). Technicians are trained and certified at Fluke headquarters. According to Aalborg, customers can expect the highest standards, competence, and recalibration accuracy, and accelerated turnaround times are standard.
More: www.aalborg.com
AMSBIO
Custom Generation of Overexpressing or Knockdown Stable Cell Lines
AMSBIO’s custom generation of stable cell lines includes cloning the gene or shRNA of interest into a safe lentiviral vector, generating the lentivirus, and transducing into the cell line of choice. The service allows users to choose a constitutive or inducible promoter, a tag, an antibiotic selection marker, and a fluorescent marker. The ease of providing target templates or choosing one from AMSBIO’s cDNA collection ensures rapid turnaround. The service can also provide mutagenesis and other special requests. The stably transduced, high-expression cells are then selected, and target integration is validated by genomic PCR and the high-expression clone by Western blot. Each customer receives two cryogenic-preserved vials of stable cells and a final report. AMSBIO ensures high-quality cells that are ready to use with a turnaround time as fast as 2 months for each cell line creation.
More: www.amsbio.com/custom-lentivirus-service-inducible-shRNA-lentivirus.aspx
Beckman Coulter Genomics
Genetic Sequencing
Beckman Coulter Genomics now has a CLIA Certificate of Registration and Massachusetts State Licensure, which allow Beckman Coulter Genomics to accept clinical samples for genetic sequencing and to provide results to physicians for their use in treating, diagnosing, and preventing disease in patients.
According to Beckman, this certification paves the way for detection of BRAF exon 11 (codons 439–477) and exon 15 (codons 581–620) for mutations using PCR-based DNA Sanger sequencing, the first clinical molecular diagnostic assay the company has developed.
More: www.beckmancoulter.com
Biodirect
The LabSquad Multivendor Services (MVS)
Biodirect has established a new multivendor services (MVS) business unit called The LabSquad. Located near Boston, Massachusetts, The LabSquad provides periodic and corrective maintenance services for a variety of lab instruments. According to Biodirect, The LabSquad does not offer “one-stop” shopping for supporting entire facilities or accounts but rather focuses on providing periodic maintenance on a smaller subset of instruments. The company specializes in supporting all major brands and models of liquid-handling robots, plate readers, thermal cyclers, centrifuges, washers, and centrifuges. The LabSquad’s tool of choice for automated liquid handler performance verification is the Artel MVS Multichannel Verification System.
More: www.thelabsquad.com
AssayGuru Liquid-Handling Method Development Services
Biodirect has established a new liquid-handling method development business unit called AssayGuru. Located near Boston, Massachusetts, AssayGuru provides method development and validation services for a variety of liquid handlers. Geared toward both end users at pharma, biotech, and government research labs as well as consumable manufacturers, AssayGuru provides skilled application scientists who are also liquid-handling experts. The company supports all major brands and models of liquid handlers.
More: www.assayguru.com
Cellular Dynamics International
MyCell Services
This new service from CDI includes novel induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell line reprogramming, genetic engineering, and differentiation of iPS cells into commercially available iCell terminal tissue cells (e.g., heart or nerve cells).
CDI has several projects under way using MyCell Services to model genetic diversity of human biology. The Medical College of Wisconsin and CDI received a $6.3 million research grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) for which CDI’s MyCell Services will reprogram 250 iPS cell lines from blood samples collected from Caucasian and African American families in the Hypertension Genetic Epidemiology Network (HyperGEN) study. In addition, MyCell Services will differentiate these iPS cells into heart cells to investigate the genetic mechanisms underlying left ventricular hypertrophy, an increase of the size and weight of the heart that is a major risk factor for heart disease and heart failure. Cure CMD, a nonprofit organization focused on promoting congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD) research, treatments, and clinical trials, with additional support from the Kettering Family Foundation, used CDI’s MyCell Services to create iPS cell lines from CMD patients, with the eventual goal of manufacturing iPS cell–derived cardiomyocytes and neurons.
More: www.cellulardynamics.com
Elsys Instruments
High-Speed PCI Express (PCIe) Data Transfer
Elsys Instruments’ family of LAN-controlled transient recorders now includes high-speed PCI Express (PCIe) data transfer on its data acquisition modules. The new TPCE data acquisition modules are high-precision and high-resolution digitizers with features such as advanced trigger modes, continuous data acquisition mode, single-ended and differential inputs, digital input lines, and ICP coupling for piezo sensors. They enable the development of scalable systems that can be expanded to meet growing data acquisition needs. With the modules’ fast PCIe four-lane architecture, the recorders provide real-time data streaming in a continuous acquisition mode that appeals to applications requiring exceptionally rapid data acquisition.
The new PCIe modules can be housed in the Elsys TraNET FE transient recorders that hold 4 to 32 single-ended channels, or 2 to 16 differential channels, in the TraNET EPC industrial computer frame with 16 slots for a total of 64 channels or in the TraNET PPC ruggedized portable computer system with 6 slots for a total of 24 channels. Up to eight systems, of TraNET FE and/or EPC, totaling up to 512 channels, can be synchronized for clock and trigger by applying the Elsys Sync-Link Box. Modules with different sampling rates (from 10–240 MS/s) and different vertical resolutions (14 or 16 bits) may be combined to match various application needs. Standard memory is 32 MSample per channel, expandable to 128 MSample per channel.
Fluidigm
Digital PCR
Fluidigm now offers digital PCR and other advanced technology to users interested in researching and developing products in all fields, including prenatal health and noninvasive prenatal diagnostics. This is a result of the end of a collaboration between Fluidigm and Novartis Vaccines & Diagnostics in which Fluidigm granted an exclusive option to its technology in specific areas of prenatal health and diagnostics, and Fluidigm could not sell its products or services in these fields, other than in some cases for research applications. Users now have unrestricted access to Fluidigm’s prototype 200 000-chambered digital PCR chip with associated instrumentation and software.
More: www.fluidigm.com
GE Healthcare
Fast Trak Training in Shanghai and Singapore
GE Healthcare’s Fast Trak Training and Education Courses provide hands-on practical training in the latest technologies and strategies for start-to-finish bioprocessing and are specifically designed to help manufacturers of biopharmaceuticals increase their process productivity and bring their product to market faster.
A new location in Shanghai, China, joins existing locations in Germany, India, Japan, Singapore, and the United States and is equipped with several new GE Healthcare technologies such as IN Cell and DeltaVision for cellular imaging, as well as Biacore and Microcal tools for protein interaction studies. The Fast Trak Center is located within the GE China Technology Center (CTC), an integrated multidisciplinary research campus with more than 1500 researchers in over 60 laboratories researching technologies in key areas such as energy, materials science, and imaging technologies.
In Singapore, GE Healthcare’s Fast Trak Training and Education now offers training for bioprocess development and manufacturing at the School of Life Sciences and Chemical Technology, Ngee Ann Polytechnic.
Oxford Gene Technology (OGT)
Genefficiency Rare Disease Sequencing Service
This new, specifically optimized version of OGT’s Genefficiency Sequencing Service is expected to help researchers and clinicians identify causative mutations quickly, easily, and without the need for in-house technical or bioinformatics expertise. According to OGT, the data produced are of the highest possible quality thanks to its externally accredited laboratory procedures and quality control systems, whereas analysis is made easy using the company’s unique rare disease NGS software. OGT hopes its new service will help speed up research into those diseases that, due to their rarity, have not traditionally attracted extensive research efforts.
Employing a workflow that is specifically configured for analyzing family trios and large patient cohorts, the Genefficiency Rare Disease Sequencing Service allows researchers to filter their data and rapidly identify genomic variations of interest. An integrated results report identifies affected genes and proteins and suggests possible disease associations, with even more information available via links to external databases. Large sample cohorts can be processed in as little as 8 weeks, and OGT’s analysis platform allows users to concentrate on the biology of their studies, rather than on sample processing, quality control, and complex data analysis.
OGT’s comprehensive service includes DNA enrichment using the Agilent SureSelect V4 or V4+UTR platforms, sequencing at 50× coverage on an Illumina HiSeq2000 and data analysis using OGT’s software platform. OGT’s in-house bioinformatics team performs all standard alignment and quality control processing to maximize data quality, as well as additional intelligent filtering of the information. In addition to whole-exome sequencing, targeted sequencing using OGT’s expertise in custom capture probe design is also available.
More: www.ogt.co.uk
Plexpress
Prevalidated Probes for ADME-Tox Studies
Plexpress, creator of the TRAC (Transcript Analysis with the aid of Affinity Capture) platform, has added to its library of prevalidated probes for multiplexed gene expression analysis. This includes many genes relevant for the investigation of in vitro drug interactions during preclinical studies, such as key members of the cytochrome P450 family and many membranous transport channels. Users can now select from hundreds of genes for ADME-Tox studies in a range of model systems, including human hepatocytes and rat liver tissue, with high sample throughput. Although the prevalidated panels are considered ideal for off-the-shelf use, the TRAC system can also be set up and optimized for any gene where the sequence is known, providing researchers with the flexibility to investigate any gene combination using both novel and prevalidated probes.
The Plexpress Human ADME-Tox panels can feature up to 6 reference genes and numerous targets, including 14 CYP450 genes, glucuronosyl transferases, glutathione transferases, and ABC transporters. The Plexpress rat ADME-Tox library has over 14 reference genes and more than 120 targets to choose from, including hepatotoxicity, necrosis, cholestasis, and steatosis markers, as well as those associated with drug metabolism and transport pathways.
Depending on the needs of each project, Plexpress can process user samples via its ISO9001-certified FAST TRAC gene expression service or assist with setting up TRAC in a user laboratory. TRAC is compatible with most third-party magnetic bead processors and capillary electrophoresis devices. Plexpress also offers a one-stop shop for studies requiring fully integrated gene discovery, validation, and in-depth analysis. The One TRAC service, offered in collaboration with the Phalanx Biotech Group, combines the coverage breadth of Phalanx Biotech’s OneArray microarrays with the high-throughput, multiplex capabilities of targeted TRAC analysis, allowing users to identify, select, and validate a robust set of highly relevant gene expression signatures. As well as its application in biomarker development, the One TRAC service is fully capable of addressing the diverse needs of academic research projects and drug discovery programs alike.
More: www.plexpress.com