Affymetrix GCS3000 Instrument System

描述(由申请人提供)：在转基因动物中，能够使用基于微阵列的基因图谱方法来确定胚胎发育期间基因表达的全球模式，以响应特定的激素和生理刺激，以及在病理和疾病状态下，药物基因组学代表着一项重要的技术进步。这项技术既需要昂贵和复杂的仪器，也需要阵列制造、生物信息学和统计支持等形式的专门知识。认识到这项技术在生物学研究中的重要性，西北大学在两年前创建了西北大学微阵列核心(NUMAC)，为其研究人员提供了这样的资源。目前，NUMAC正在为其用户提供广泛的服务，包括实验设计和分析方面的咨询、为定制和预制阵列(Affymetrix GeneChips)进行杂交以及打印定制阵列。为GeneChips提供的NUMAC标签和处理服务已与儿童纪念医院教育和研究研究所(CMIER)联合提供。NUMAC用户的数量显著增加，这导致在CMIER处理样品的周转时间很长。随着两个NU校区(芝加哥埃文斯顿)雇佣更多与GeneChips相关的项目，这个问题将会加剧。Affymetrix GeneChips只能由Affymetrix系统处理，此应用程序的目标是申请资金购买Affymetrix GCS仪器，以更高质量及时增强我们现有的基因芯片处理能力。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The ability to use microarray-based gene profiling approaches to define global patterns of gene expression during embryonic development, in response to specific hormonal and physiological stimuli, and in pathological and disease states, in genetically modified animals, and pharmacogenomics represents an important technological advance. This technology requires both expensive and sophisticated instrumentation and specific expertise in the form of array fabrication, bioinformatics and statistical support. Recognizing the importance of this technology in biological research, two years ago Northwestern University created the Northwestern University Microarray Core (NUMAC) to provide such a resource for its investigators. Currently, NUMAC is providing a wide range of services to its users including consultation in experimental design and analysis, performing hybridizations for custom and prefabricated arrays (Affymetrix GeneChips), and printing custom arrays. The NUMAC labeling and processing service for GeneChips has been offered in conjunction with Children's Memorial Hospital Institute for Education and Research (CMIER). The number of NUMAC users has increased significantly and this has caused a long turnaround time for processing of the samples at CMIER. This problem is going to exacerbate as both NU campuses (Evanston, Chicago) employ more GeneChips related projects. The Affymetrix GeneChips can only be processed by the Affymetrix system and the goal of this application is to request funds to purchase an Affymetrix GCS Instrument to enhance our existing capabilities for the GeneChip processing in a timely manner with a higher quality.