Microarray

The University of Southern California Affymetrix MicroArray Core Facility at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles provides genomic information from Affymetrix GeneChips for scientific investigators of three major types:

• gene expression data
• SNP data 
• gene sequence data

The laboratory is CAP/CLIA certified and the data is generated after rigorous quality control of tissue and RNA or DNA, and evaluation of resultant data.  Equipment currently available for use includes an Affymetrix GeneChip system including two hybridization ovens, two fluidics stations, one GeneArray scanner equipped with an autoloader for high throughput analysis, and two accompanying GCOS computer workstations. 

The data is stored in a designated, web-accessible server which allows investigators to access their individual data, but not that of other investigators, and meets federal requirements for patient privacy. 

The laboratory also is equipped with:

• 2 Cepheid SmartCyclers (used for confirmatory quantitative RT-PCR analyses) 
• 1 ABI sequencer Avant 3100 (used for DNA sequencing confirmation as necessary)
• 1 Taylor Wharton liquid nitrogen cryostorage system
• Fisher isotem refrigerator and freezer
• Various heatblocks, cooler blocks, water baths, centrifuges (used for processing of specimens)

Staffing the facility are an MD director, two laboratory technicians (one a board-certified medical technologist with specialty certification in molecular biology) and an MS computational biologist.  The core currently provides service to approximately 100 investigators annually from Childrens Hospital Los Angeles and the University of Southern California.