Beckman Coulter and Nugen Technologies offer an automated workstation that allows researchers using FFPE tissue samples to produce labelled cDNA fragments ready for gene expression analysis.
The verified solution consists of Nugen Ovation gene amplification and labelling systems and the Agencourt Formapure system for isolating total nucleic acids from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples, in a method implemented on the Beckman Coulter Biomek FXP laboratory automation workstation.
Using the integrated system, researchers will be able to isolate, purify, amplify and label the typically degraded RNA in FFPE samples in an automated process that increases accuracy, frees up time, and delivers biotinylated CDNA fragments ready for global gene expression analysis for biomarker identification using Affymetrix Genechip arrays.
The Arrayplex Nugen WT-Ovation FFPE target preparation application on the Biomek FXP workstation provides total process flexibility.
Any number of samples between eight and 48 can be run in 96-well PCR plates.
The modular process can be adapted to workflow requirements.
The method incorporates Agencourt Formapure chemistry, which utilises SPRI (solid phase reversible immobilisation) paramagnetic bead-based technology.
It also uses the Nugen WT-Ovation FFPE system for RNA amplification and the Nugen FL-Ovation cDNA Biotin module V2 for target labelling and fragmentation.
The FFPE method is an extension of a collaboration to develop automated solutions using Nugen chemistries that can be implemented on Beckman Coulter's Biomek FX automated workstation.
The companies have previously released systems for whole blood isolation and for whole blood profiling.
