Microarrays offer a high throughput technology to examine genotyping, gene expression and/or methylation data for samples. Targets are printed or synthesized on a solid substrate, which is interrogated by a probe derived from samples of interest.  Detection is typically done using a high-density scanner after hybridization and staining. 

• ThermoFisher manufactures microarrays by synthesizing targets in situ. Arrays are offered in a 96-well plate and may contain 800,000+ targets in each well. Microarrays are scanned on a ThermoFisher GeneTitan instrument with analysis using the Axiom Analysis Suite Software. ThermoFisher offers microarrays for genotyping and gene expression analysis. 
• Illumina utilizes silica microbeads adorned with hundreds of thousands to millions of genotypes. These beads are housed in etched microwells and coated with multiple copies of an oligonucleotide probe targeting a specific genomic locus. The beads contain one extra base which enables incorporation of a labeled nucleotide, which can be detected on Illumina’s iScan instrument, and analyzed using GenomeStudio software.  Illumina offers bead chip arrays for genotyping or methylation analysis. 

We can accept many sample types, including, but not limited to, whole blood, PBMCs, tissue, saliva, FFPE blocks or curls, laser microdissections, or extracted nucleic acids (DNA or RNA). 

• For ThermoFisher Axiom arrays, 96 samples are genotyped per plate. For ThermoFisher GO Screen (gene expression) arrays, 384 samples are processed per plate. 

• For Illumina bead chip arrays, the number of samples depends on the bead chip array of interest. Typically, these are processed as 8, 16, 24, 32, or 96 samples. 

Kindly note that for either microarray supplier, you will be charged for a full plate/bead chip, including all necessary controls. 

Our microarray service is offered at a regulatory level appropriate for exploratory research. This offers quality oversight in a regulated environment consisting of instrument maintenance and calibration logs, reagent lot tracking, staff training logs, chain-of-custody audit trails, IT systems maintenance and back-up logs, and the ability to audit the facility and process. Note that we can offer this as a clinically validated service; please inquire for additional details. 

• ThermoFisher microarrays: Both positive (HapMap) and negative (no template) controls, provided by ThermoFisher, are used in the Axiom (genotyping) arrays. For a ThermoFisher Axiom array (96-wells), only 94 samples are available for customer samples as 2 positions are required for these controls. For ThermoFisher GO Screen (384-wells), one NTC and one positive control are used per plate. 

• Illumina Bead chips: A single positive control, provided by Illumina, is used per run, regardless of the number of bead chips in the run.  

Yes, please email clia@azenta.com and we’d be delighted to arrange a meeting to consult about the details of your project with one of our PhD-level study managers.