Fluidigm Corp. (South San Francisco, CA, USA) and BIOKÉ (Leiden, The Netherlands), distributor of Fluidigm systems in the Benelux, have announced that Leiden University Medical Center's (LUMC; The Netherlandsl) human genetics department has purchased a Fluidigm Access Array system.

"LUMC will use the Fluidigm Access Array system to get reliable amplification of individual gene segments. While the samples are being amplified, they are individually tagged so the various samples can later be identified after simultaneous processing in our next-generation sequencer. This will reduce our overall cost and time-to-results for genetic diagnostics,” said Johan den Dunnen, head of the Research Facility, the Leiden Genome Technology Center (LGTC; The Netherlands). "Amplification of individual samples and gene segments is laborious, time-consuming, and costly. Samples need to be combined in equimolar amounts to achieve equal coverage when sequenced in a mix. Our early results are promising and we expect the Access Array system to help us achieve equal yields and even coverage from these combined samples after sequencing.”

"We don't make nextgen sequencers, but Fluidigm's Access Array system does make those sequencers work better. Our Access Array technology simplifies the up-front preparation and maximizes the utility of today's next-generation sequencers,” said Mike Lee, Fluidigm;s senior director of marketing.

The Fluidigm Access Array system can be used with any PCR-based sample preparation method and with the reagents and primers of the customer's choosing. The Access Array system includes specific single-use microfluidic integrated fluidic circuits (IFCs), two IFC controllers, and a stand-alone thermal cycler to deliver results in just four hours.

The 48.48 Access Array IFC is the first chip that features the ability to recover reaction products automatically. Once sample processing has been completed, the IFC automatically returns the samples to inlets from which they can be easily extracted and readied for sequencing.

Fluidigm develops, manufactures, and markets proprietary integrated fluidic circuit (IFC) systems that enable the simultaneous performance of thousands of sophisticated biochemical measurements in extremely minute volumes. These "integrated circuits for biology” are made possible by miniaturizing and integrating liquid-handling components on a single microfluidic device (IFC).

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Leiden University Medical Center