CORE--NUCLEIC ACID RESEARCH

Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond VA

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Abstract

The Nucleic Acids Research Facilities (NARF), formerly the Nucleic Acids Sequencing and Synthesis Resource (NASSR) was established in fall of 1986, and has been an important component of the Massey Cancer since that time. The facility now supports automated DNA sequencing, DNA synthesis and purification, Real Time PCR, and DNA microarraying. The Laboratory has continued to maintain a steadily increasing throughput of normal and modified oligonucleotide synthesis and DNA sequencing. Since the last submission, the NARF has added two new core services: Real Time PCR and DNA MicroArraying. Real Time PCR has been extremely well received and activity has increased continuously over the slightly more than 12 months that we have offered the service. The laboratory identified funds to acquire the microarraying instrumentation in late 2000. Since that time, we have purchased and installed the Affymetrix GeneChip/TM System and a Spotted Array System consisting of a BioRobotics TAS II Spotter and a Packard ScanArray 5000 Scanner. Ancillary instrumentation, including a bank of 96 and 384 well thermocyclers, liquid handling equipment, and a high throughput including a bank of 96 and 384 well thermocyclers, liquid handling equipment, and a high throughput cDNA clone template preparation was also acquired and installed. In parallel with these developments, the personnel of the NARF expanded to include our Sequencing Core Manager who trained in the University of Oklahoma Genome Center, a Ph.D. trained assistant professor to oversee the MicroArraying Facility, our MS trained DNA manager of the DNA synthesis and RT PCR Core, and two BS trained technicians. With the acquisition of the Microarraying and RT PCR instrumentation, two additional small labs were added to the suite of labs that comprise the NARF, which now consists of four main labs, two offices, a small lb dedicated to the GeneChip/TM System, and a data analysis resource.