This article was originally posted on January 11.
Oxford Gene Technology will use Lab901's RNA QC ScreenTape platform to measure the quality of the RNA samples it runs on its microarrays, Lab901 said this week.
ScreenTape is an automated system for gel electrophoresis. Using the system, customers can analyze protein, DNA, and RNA samples by loading a ScreenTape consumable into the Edinburgh, UK-based company's TapeStation instrument. The TapeStation then delivers the ScreenTape Degradation Value, or SDV, a quality metric for total RNA samples.
According to Lab901, its platform eliminates steps such as gel-reagent preparation, chip priming, and chip-vortexing, and avoids problems associated with cross-priming and sample carryover since individual microgels are used for each sample analysis.
John Anson, R&D director at OGT, said in a statement that the UK company adopted Lab901's system to improve the quality of its services business.
"As OGT's microarray R&D and service business grows, we are continually seeking opportunities to increase throughput whilst maintaining the highest standards of data quality," Anson said.
OGT has invested heavily in the services arm of its business in recent years. In 2007, it expanded into a new, 11,800-square-foot facility located in the Begbroke Science Park near Oxford (see BAN 5/29/2007), giving it the space to take on larger projects and add personnel.
The firm's services business was bolstered again when OGT processed 20,000 samples for the Wellcome Trust case Control Consortium's copy number variation study, providing the firm with the resources and experience to take part in larger studies (see BAN 6/2/2009).
Financial details of OGT's deal with Lab901 were not discussed.