High throughput genomics

支撑生物学的技术正以越来越快的速度向前发展。为了在世界舞台上保持竞争力，英国研究人员需要获得最新的技术。微阵列技术也不例外。微阵列技术使研究人员能够在一次实验中跟踪数千（有时数十万）个基因，从而对不同的细胞类型或不同的表型/基因型进行全局比较。例如，使用微阵列，我们可以发现为什么某些人类种族遭受特定遗传疾病的发病率较高，或者为什么某些小麦品种比其他品种产量更高。微阵列技术的最新进展导致成本降低和通量增加。总部位于美国的Affychip是高密度阵列（Genechip）市场的领先公司。目前的Affyscore基因芯片技术已经产生了更高密度的基因芯片和越来越多的新应用。最新一代的基因芯片包括最高密度的5 um外显子和平铺阵列，全基因组500 K定位阵列以及最新的靶向基因分型系统，该系统结合了分子倒置探针（MIP）技术，这是目前最先进的阵列/基因分型技术，并实现了最高水平的基因型多重检测（每个实验约200，000个位点）。获得这些资源将使与布里斯托转录组学设施有关的研究人员比那些没有的研究人员具有竞争优势。然而，重要的是要注意，布里斯托设施是开放给所有研究人员。

The technology underpinning biology is advancing at an ever increasing rate. To remain competitive on a world stage UK researchers need access to the very latest technologies. Microarray technology is no exception. Microarray technology enables researchers to track thousands (sometimes hundreds of thousands) of genes in a single experiment and hence make global comparisons of either different cell types or different phenotypes/genotypes. For instance, using microarrays we can discover why certain human races suffer a higher incidence of specific genetic diseases or why certain wheat varieties yield more than others. Recent advances in microarray technology have resulted in both cost reductions and increased throughput. The US-based organisation Affymetrix is the leading company in the high-density array (Genechip) market. Current Affymetrix GeneChip technology has resulted in higher density GeneChips and an increasing number of novel applications. The latest generation of GeneChips include the highest density 5um Exon and Tiling arrays, whole genome 500K mapping arrays as well as the latest targeted genotyping system incorporating Molecular Inversion Probe (MIPs) technology which is the most advanced array/genotyping technology currently available and enables the highest level of genotype multiplexing possible (~200,000 loci per experiment). Access to such resources would give researchers associated with the Bristol Transcriptomics facility a competitive advantage over researchers who do not. However, it is important to note that the Bristol facility is open to all researchers.