Germans Trias i Pujol Health Sciences Research Institute

MICROARRAY HYBRIDIZATION AND FUNCTIONAL GENETICS UNIT

The tools based on genomics for the performance of massive analyses represent a considerable technological advance for the study of the gene-disease interaction, such as the use of the microscope or the PCR for the clinical and research laboratories, respectively. In contrast to the traditional analytical systems, the genetic study based on microarrays implies the simultaneous assessment of thousands of genes (>30.000) that may be translated into more than 100.000 proteins and into an enormous number of gene-gene, protein-gene or protein-protein interactions. In any case, the massive gene analysis involves a new conception on expermiental designs and a new way of interpreting the obtained results. Having this in mind, the Microarrays Hybridisation and Functional Genetics Unit at the Institut d’Investigació en Ciències de la Salut Germans Trias i Pujol was created to lead the pioneering and innovative projects on the scientific-technological aspects as well as the functional interpretation of results. Basically, with the equipment we now dispose of, samples may be hybridized and different techologies involving the microarrays in glass support may be analyzed; furthermore, several bioinformatic and proteomic platforms supported by the Fundación Genoma España, as well as experimental in vivo and in vitro systems, may intervene for the functional interpretation of results.

Ability:

Molecular diagnosis: genetic screening (resecuentiation), pathogen identification (pathogen´s DNA detection), drug resistance (SNPs, genetic expression analysis), diagnosis and prognosis (genetic expression analysis).
Pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics: gene identification (resecuentiation, genetic expression analysis, SNPs), drug response and predictive analysis (SNPs).
Research and development of new drugs: drug screening (analysis of gene expression) and design and stratification of clinical trials (SNPs).
Multiplex protein profile determination (comparative and screening analyses).
FISH target identification in tissue.

Equipment:

QIAcube (IZASA, BCN, España): will enable the automated extraction and purification of RNA, DNA and proteins from one or several biologic samples. This equipment may allow for the standardization and control of the different key processes to guarantee a good reproducibility on the microarray technique.
Experion System (BIO-RAD Lab. S.A., USA): it consists of an automated electrophoresis system for microvolumes that enables the analysis of the RNA, DNA and protein integrity and quantification by the use of specific chips. This equipment constitutes an essential step for the ensuing processes of hybridization that clearly surpasses the conventional systems that are more time- and sample-consuming.
TrayMix (BioTray, France): automated hybridization station including an informatic control that enables the programming and standardization at the different phases of the procedure. This hybridization station is characterized by the low consumption of sample and reactants, as well as by the times for hybridization due to a technological advance patented by BioTray. In our case, we have four independent hybridization chambers that also enable the labelling of tissues in situ.
Hybex (SciGene, USA): this manual hibridizator constitutes a complement for the performance of multiple microarrays within a same support. This equipment enables the completion and flexibilization of the work station, therefore widely responding to the comercial arrays addressed for different purposes and of any given format.
InnoScan 700 (Innopsys, France): for the reading of the micromatrix array, we have a high-resolution scanner (3 microns) available, including two lasers that enable the reading of two simultaneous wave lengths and with a confocal, automatic focus. This equipment includes a software (Mapix v.3.0, Innopsys) for image analysis.