DNA MICROARRAYER AND SCANNER SYSTEM

Univ Of Med/Dent Nj-R W Johnson Med Sch, Piscataway NJ

Investigators

Abstract

The established of a shared DNA microarray would allow investigators at this institution to take advantage of the major advances made in genome research. Investigators that are participating in this application comprise users that are involved in studying genes from humans, mice, rats, yeast and E. coli. The instrumentation, specialized equipment and materials, together with internal support in the form of institutional and departmental funds, as well as the commitment from investigators to coordinate and supervise this facility will enable use to establish a state of the art DNA microarray facility that will serve the investigators from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Rutgers University. Currently the investigators on these contiguous campuses do not have the ability to utilize this advanced technology. The DNA microarray system will permit investigators to make major inroads in more readily discovering the genes involved in controlling a wide number of pathways and responses in various organisms. The rate of gene discovery related to investigations in cancer, signal transduction, differentiation and development, drug resistance and many other avenues will be enhanced by the purchase of this instrumentation. The need of these researchers for a DNA microarray system cannot be met under existing conditions. There is no academic institution in New Jersey that has the appropriate instrumentation and a facility to prepare and carry out work with DNA microarrays. Furthermore, collaborations with other institutions have been extremely limited because of the enormous demand by investigators for DNA micro analysis. In addition, any such potential collaborations would be hampered by the long distance. Moreover, no one user could afford the current instrumentation to establish a DNA microarray. The instrumentation requested will provide a major new opportunity to investigators on this campus that is not available to them any place at these universities. This is one of the few instrumentation support grants that will make a major change in the entire research environment and will provide a unique opportunity to make major inroads in basic sciences and clinical application.