ThermoHybaid, of Middlesex, UK, is planning to launch new microarray hybridization, scanning, and analysis instruments by the end of the year. The line of products includes the Hypro20 hybridization station which hybridizes 20 microarray slides at a time and sells for $6,000. At the higher end of the spectrum, the company also offers the Hypro100, which hybridizes 100 microarray slides at a time and sells for $30,000. The company said it has conducted experiments comparing the Hypro method to manual coverslip hybridization methods, and has found that Hypro generates consistently superior results.
For scanning, ThermoHybaid is planning to roll out its ScanPro20 scanner and ScanPro20 array analysis software, for a price of $95,000.
GeneMachines said it has successfully beta tested its RevPrep Orbit workstation, the latest in its GeneSuite line of instruments, at the University of California, Berkeleys Drosophila Genome center. The RevPrep, which performs nucleic acid purification, is designed to automate genomic sample preparation in order to achieve maximum throughput at minimal cost. The Drosophila lab purified 24 96-well plates of plasmids using the RevPrep, which the user only had to set up at the beginning and end of the day, according to the company.
The RevPrep includes array centrifuge technology licensed from Stanford University, which contains 96 rotors that encapsulate all of the sample processing steps.
PerkinElmer Life Sciences has introduced its Micromax Direct Labeling Kit for DNA expression microarrays. Each kit can be used for the common Cy3-Cy5 labeling kits for labeling total RNA or mRNA samples, and can accommodate up to 25 microarray experiments. The kit uses a hybridization buffer, and can be used in automatic systems such as Genomic Solutions GeneTAC HybStation, which PerkinElmer exclusively distributes outside the US and Japan.
V&P Scientific has introduced its manual glass slide microarrayer. The microarrayer allows researchers to make arrays of up to 768 spots, and is designed for small labs and pilot studies. The arrayer, which includes contact pin printing, can spot DNA, cDNA, RNA, protein, and antibody microarrays. The company said the arrayer offered a cost advantage over other microarrayers, but did not specify the price.
Incellico of Durham, NC, is rolling out the initial layer of its Coded Electronic Life Library (CELL) genomic database system November 1st. The system is designed to allow researchers to input a list of differentially expressed genes from a microarray experiment, and then walk along functional links from gene to protein, and from protein to literature citation as well as ontology and classification links. The system will be available for a seven-day free trial through the company (www.incellico.com). This product introduction follows the release of the companys Arrayex 1.0 gene expression analysis software suite to selected customers this past summer.