Applied Biosystems has worked with the UK Stem Cell Bank (UKSCB) at the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC) to help produce a line of Taqman real-time PCR assays.
This set of Taqman Assays for pathogen detection is hoped to provide a rapid means of detecting and quantifying viral pathogens that may be present in biological samples.
The UK Stem Cell Bank has worked with Applied Biosystems to validate the Taqman Assays for pathogen detection, so that scientists can use the assays to screen stem-cell lines for potential infection by a 15 different viruses.
The Taqman Assays for pathogen detection enable scientists to screen cell lines for a panel of viruses that includes human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), as well as 12 other markers, including those viruses screened for by blood services These assays are presented on a single microfluidic card capable of screening eight samples in a single run.
Through a real-time PCR reaction, the assays detect and quantify target nucleic-acid sequences from specific viruses that may be present in biological samples.
Primers and probes in the assays detect signature nucleic-acid sequences present in pathogens, generating a fluorescent signal proportional to the amount of target sequence present.
