Molecular Profiling Core

University Of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

The mission of the University of Pennsylvania Molecular Profiling Core is to provide quality services for molecular biology assays that are conducted with highly parallel or high-throughput technologies. These services include assistance with experimental design and resource assessment, sample preparation, assay performance, and data management and analysis. Professional laboratory technologists and bioinformaticists working as a team throughout an investigator's project provide these resources. The Molecular Profiling Core enables a wide variety of researchers to observe global nucleic acid patterns, including expression levels of all RNA transcripts in a sample, genetic variability throughout the genomic DNA sequence of an individual or population, and epigenetic modifications across the genome. These patterns, whether genome-wide or targeted to a specific set of markers, can be compared between control and treated/affected cell types in experiments that range from cell cultures to diagnostic or prognostic patient samples. The Specific Aims are: Aim 1: To provide guidance and training on the capabilities, advantages, and disadvantages of various genomics protocols and analyses for musculoskeletal research through formal educational enrichment programs and one-on-one interactions. Aim 2: To provide expertise and service for whole-genome and targeted RNA profiling assays of musculoskeletal tissues. Aim 3: To provide expertise and service for whole-genome and targeted DNA profiling assays of musculoskeletal tissues. Aim 4: To provide bioinformatics services and training appropriate for analyzing the data produced in Aims 2 and 3. Aim 5: To provide funding for development of new assays, projects and collaborations and to facilitate development of preliminary and/or feasibility data for investigators.