Genotyping Facility
Hosted by the Section of Genomics of Common Disease, our core facility supports researchers from Imperial, the UK and beyond by providing methylation, expression and SNP genotyping services on all Illumina bead array types (Standard and Custom) using our iScan system as well as on Fluidigm IFCs which can be read using our Biomark HD.
Additional services (equipment use, digital PCR) may be made available on request. We currently have two dedicated Tecan robots (Pre-PCR and Post-PCR) as well as an Agilent BRAVO system and other equipment to allow optimal automation of laboratory procedures. Illumina experiments are monitored through Illumina’s Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) for accurate procedure monitoring and record keeping, ultimately securely storing all data on our dedicated server.
Services offered
Illumina services (iScan)
Our iScan combined with dedicated pre- and post-PCR Tecan robots provides the capacity to undertake large scale SNP genotyping and methylation projects. Autoloaded Illumina BeadChips are scanned on the iScan and at all stages the process and data are managed through the Illlumina Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS).
Our most common applications include genome-wide methylation detection using the Infinium Methylation EPIC Beadchip Array and SNP array projects using off-the-shelf Illumina SNP arrays, but also custom BeadChip assays targeting between 3,072 – 1M SNPs.
Fluidigm services
Our BioMark HD system and various Integrated Fluidic Circuit (IFC) Controllers that support the different IFC arrays (48 samples.48 assays, 96.96 and 192.24) is an alternative platform for low to medium throughput genotyping.
Applications include.: High-throughput real-time and digital PCR:, Gene Expression – Taqman chemistry/ EvaGreen (Deltagene) , Genotyping – Taqman SNP, Copy number variation/rare mutation detection - Digital PCR.
Some users opt to come and use our equipment and analyse their own samples.