GENE EXPRESSION AND GENOTYPING FACILITY

Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland OH

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

The mission of the Case CCC Gene Expression & Genotyping Facility (GEGF) is to facilitate implementation of high throughput genetic technologies for the research conducted by members of the CWRU community. The GEGF serves as a technical and consulting resource for Cancer Center members, as well as other investigators laboratories at CWRU, UH, CCF, MHMC and the VAMC, in the areas of high throughput expression analysis and genotyping. It is the only facility of its capability in Cleveland. This Facility utilizes Affymetrix and Applied Biosystems (ABI) technologies as well as Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) to provide global and quantitative (on user-identified genes) gene expression analysis services. While the comprehensive and quantitative properties of NGS assays, for both RNA and DNA, now make these technologies an excellent choice for many genomic studies, these approaches are still very expensive and require extensive informatics expertise for generation of useful data. Therefore, the demand for microarray technology and real time PCR to identify global changes in gene expression and genetic variants in populations has remained at undiminished levels over the past several years. Microarrays have the distinct advantage of providing economical, rapid and readily accessible data that is generically comprehensive in scope, without an overwhelming requirement for computer capacity or informatics expertise. An important service provided by the GEGF, however, is provision of advice to individual investigators on the comparative limits and applicability of the broad range of available technologies for assessment of gene expression and genomic applications. Approximately 60 investigators use the GEGF every year and 30-50% of these are first time users, documenting that the GEGF continues to enjoy a healthy level of growth and a robust level of sustained work with repeat users. Since the last competitive renewal, the Core has provided services for 71 different Cancer Center Members, distributed in all 8 of the Scientific Programs. Part of the impact is through generation of preliminary data and grant support (letters of support; sections of grants; sections for manuscripts; slides for presentations), and the GEGF has played an important role in: determining in vivo targets of the 15-PGDH colon cancer tumor suppressor pathway; identifying CAN genes (Candidate Cancer Genes) in colon cancer; and determining a candidate list of genes involved in conferring resistance or sensitivity to hepatocellular carcinoma in mice fed a high fat diet.