DNA MICROARRAY INSTRUMENTATION

DNA微阵列技术是功能基因组学研究的重要新工具，有可能极大地改变生物医学研究的进行方式。成千上万的人类dna，最终整个人类基因组，现在可以在显微镜载玻片大小的芯片上被发现。通过使用荧光探针对表达的基因产物进行差异标记，可以快速检测到正常和病变或治疗细胞中基因表达模式的变化。这项技术已经被用于人类基因研究、疾病分析、药物发现以及基础和转化生物医学研究的许多其他方面。为了将这项技术提供给亚利桑那大学亚利桑那健康科学中心的研究人员，我们已经建立了一个核心资源，其目标是：1)制造DNA微阵列；2)协助调查人员进行样品制备和杂交；3)为结果分析提供生物信息学支持。功能2)和3)已经建立。功能1)的可行性已通过使用借来的第一代设备进行了论证。我们需要一个集成的设备包，包括用于制备阵列的第二代机器人高密度打印机，第二代DNA微阵列读取器，以及用于生物信息学和自动杂交设备的设备。该设备将在短期内使亚利桑那健康科学中心的研究人员受益，目前美国国立卫生研究院每年提供近1450万美元的直接费用，从长远来看，将在整个亚利桑那大学引入并使DNA微阵列研究成为可能。

DNA microarray technology is an important new tool for studies in functional genomics that has the potential to dramatically change the way that biomedical research is conducted. Thousands of human cDNAs, and eventually the entire human genome, can now be spotted on a microscope slide-sized chip. Changes in patterns of gene expression from normal and diseased or treated cells can be rapidly detected by using flourescent probes to differentially label the expressed gene products. The technology is already being used in human genetic research, disease profiling, drug discovery and many other aspects of basic and translational biomedical research. In order to make this technology available to investigators at the Arizona Health Sciences Center at the University of Arizona we have established a core resource whose objectives are: 1) to fabricate the DNA microarrays; 2) to assist investigators with sample preparation and hybridization; and, 3) to provide bioinformatics support for analysis of the results. Functions 2) and 3) have already been established. The feasibility of function 1) has been demonstrated through the use of borrowed first generation equipment. We are requesting an integrated equipment package comprising a second generation robotic high density printer for preparing the arrays, a second generation DNA microarray reader, and equipment for bioinformatics and automated hybridizing equipment. This equipment will, in the short term, benefit investigators at the Arizona Health Sciences Center, with current grant support from the NIH of almost 14.5 million dollars direct costs per year and, in the long term, will introduce and enable investigations in DNA microarray throughout the University of Arizona.