High-Throughput DNA Sequencer

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The Tufts University Core Facility Genomics Core (TUGC) is applying for funds to purchase a high throughput sequencer, an Illumina NovaSeq 6000. It will be a critical addition to the Genomics Core in support of its mission to provide high-quality next-generation sequencing (NGS) for the research community within Tufts University and its affiliates. The TUGC was established in 2008 to address the budding need for NGS. Due to the tireless efforts of the PI and his colleagues, it has grown into the only core facility within Tufts University and Tufts Medical Center that offers a comprehensive NGS service. The core is renowned for its knowledgeable and accommodative staff that works collaboratively to provide end-to-end NGS services to NIH-funded investigators. In addition to the standard sample preparation and sequencing services, the TUGC offers its users advice and support from the initial experimental design through the data analysis and visualization. The core has been supporting high- impact research covering diverse health- and life-science focused areas including immunology, microbiology & host-pathogen interaction, cellular & cancer biology, genetic & associated diseases, neurobiology & neurologic diseases, microbiome, developmental & restorative biology, environmental & populational biology, nutritional biology, and aging. The Genomics Core has iterated through several generations of sequencers over the years. Currently, it offers its NGS services with several Illumina instruments including a HiSeq2500, a NextSeq 550, and two MiSeqs. Illumina has issued an end-of-life bulletin and will cease its support of the Hiseq instrument in early 2023. The end-of-life will render it obsolete and result in a severe service gap for projects that require the high data yield that the HiSeq provides. Thus, there is a dire need for a replacement sequencer to prevent an interruption to the ongoing research of our NIH-funded investigators. Determining the optimal choice of a HiSeq replacement requires considering the sequencing needs of ongoing and future research projects, the current array of instrumentation, TUGC expertise, the future growth of the facility, and new applications. For these reasons, the Illumina NovaSeq 6000 is the most logical choice. It is the latest model succeeding the HiSeq 1000/2000/3000/4000 series and has become the leading choice for high output instrumentation. It supports various read lengths of up to 250 bases and offers four choices of flow cells that cater to a range of data yield requirements. With a 24- to 48-hour output capacity ranging from 65 billion to 6 trillion bases and 650 million reads to 40 billion reads, it provides the flexibility, scalability, speed, and cost effectiveness required in a multi- user environment.