Service Provided:


List of services offered by the facility:
1. Counseling on experimental design more info
2. RNA extraction from cellular pellet in TRIzol Reagent  
3.Target synthesis. more info
4.Target quality control performed with Agilent BioAnalyzer (and Test3 Chip, upon request) more info
5.GeneChip hybridization, staining and image analysis more info
6. Statistical analysis of experimental results using commercial and proprietary software. more info
7. Customized bioinformatic data analysis and elaboration using Silicon Genetics GeneSpring more info

We DO NOT provide GeneChips for external customers.
Please contact the account manager for Italy Dr. Stefano Romanello to place your order.
In your GeneChips order specify the following shipping address:
-Affymetrix Microarray Unit c/o IFOM - Via Adamello 16 20139 Milano 

Counseling

Please contact us for suggestions on how to optimize your experimental design in order to obtain reliable data from expression analysis.
Target Synthesis Service

Depending on specific needs, a standard or a double-amplification target synthesis protocol can be performed, starting from totRNA samples extracted by the user. Otherwise, users can pre-synthesize their targets and ship them for hybridization and analysis.(*)

Quality Control Measurements

A spectrophotometer quantification and a gel image of the RNA or cRNA samples should be provided by the user, included in the sample shipment.
Upon samples receive, to ensure the integrity and accuracy of your data, we perform additional quality controls throughout the processing of your samples.

•  All samples are checked with the Agilent BioAnalyzer upon arrival to confirm RNA quality.(*)
•  Both unfragmented and fragmented cRNA targets are quantified and checked a second time prior to hybridization.
•  cRNA targets can be tested on TEST3 Arrays upon request.

(*) Targets that do not meet quality standards will be rejected
 
Data provided

For each experiment performed at the Facility, the customer will receive the following files:

•   All the raw data produced, including .DAT .CEL and .CHP files obtained with Affymetrix GCOS/GDAS software.
•   Final results saved as .TXT files for each ABSOLUTE and COMPARATIVE analysis requested.
•   Quality report saved as .RPT files for every ABSOLUTE and COMPARATIVE analysis requested.
•   Fully annotated tables for easier identification of gene functions and link to external databases.
•   Additionally (solely for every experiment involving a duplicate hybridization) a default statistical analysis will be performed using software developed in our Institute.