Instrumentation: Real-time qPCR instruments- Applied Biosystems 7900 (384-well) and Roche LC480 (96 or 384-well). We also have 2-ABI 7700s available to outside users with a flat fee/plate charge. Signup sheets are on the instruments.
RNA quality must be monitored prior to running real-time qPCR plate screening arrays (SA Biosciences, Lonza, ABI, etc) and prior to miRNA screens. Samples are run on an Agilent 2100 biochip for quality control and must pass QC to be used for the succeeding real-time qPCR plate arrays. A Nanodrop instrument is available for outside users for an annual fee. We also have a Tecan Infinite 200 multimode plate reading spectrofluorometer multi-mode reader for fluorescent determination of DNA or RNA concentrations.Again, an annual user fee applies for this instrument for unlimted useage. All real time qPCR assays are setup using roboitic liquid handlers, Tecan Genesis 100 (RT setup or additions of DNA samples) a Becman Biomek2000 (PCR master mix) and Biomek3000.
Assay modalities(all 384-well plate determinations except where mentioned below):
Nucleic acid detection and quantification, over 700 validated real-time qPCR assays available
miRNA screening; Qiagen miRBase v. 10 human set (714 miRNAs) and miRBase v. 13 mouse set (645 miRNAs)
Validation of miRNA, microarray, siRNA knockdown or compound ‘hits’
Zygosity testing of mouse litters for endogenous or transgenes
Plate screening arrays from SA Biosciences or Lonza StellARrays for focused pathway or cell physiology determinations (96- or 384-well plates)
High resolution melt (HRM) analysis of SNPs, mutations, species differentiation, methylation and more. Inquire concerning this new application for real-time PCR.
Protein melt analysis for small compound/purified protein association screening studies. Can replace a fluorescence polarization assay if the association is strong enough, for less cost per assay.
Proteins
Instrumentation: MSD 2400 CCD camera electrochemoluminescence plate reader for MSD quantitative sandwich single or multiplex ELISA assay plates
Biomek NXp 96-tip head liquid handling robotic workstation with integrated ThermoFisher Cytomat tip and plate store and Bio-tek ELx405 automated plate washer as well as a Biomek3000 for sample dispensing and setting up standard curves.
Assays: Any Meso Scale Discovery assay kit. Contact Dr. Shipley via phone at (713) 500-7458 or via e-mail at Gregory.L.Shipley@uth.tmc.edu for the latest information on kit. We can help with the development of novel assays on the MSD platform using single spot plates and reagents from MSD.
Any AlphaLISA assay available from Perkin Elmer. We can help with the development of novel assyas using the AlphaLISA assay system using reagents from Perkin Elmer. Again contact the director of the QGCL for more information on this assay system.
For information on Mass Spectrometry analysis of proteins and insight into protein purification and handling, contact Dr. Bill Dubinsky, Co-Director of the Proteomics Core Laboratory via e-mail at William.P.Dubinsky@uth.tmc.edu.
