Oxford, UK, May 29, 2009 - Oxford Gene Technology (OGT), the pioneer of microarray-based technologies, has successfully completed processing more than 20,000 samples that have been generated by the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium (WTCCC), the world’s largest CNV study involving a collaboration of 24 leading human geneticists. The project analysed DNA samples from patients to identify genetic variants that play a role in various human diseases, including bipolar disorder, Crohn’s disease, coronary artery disease, type 1 and 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, breast cancer and hypertension.
OGT processed over 20,000 samples in 20 weeks, using state-of-the-art automated processing to achieve exceptional data quality from whole-genome human CNV-focussed microarrays developed by Agilent. Over 40 quality control checks have been performed and recorded for each sample during the workflow, producing documented evidence of the excellent QC metrics that have been met.
“In order to characterise genetic variants, reproducible performance and reliable processing of the high resolution microarrays is essential. This project demanded high quality data generated to tight deadlines, and we were very pleased with its rapid progress,” said Dr Matt Hurles of the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. “Our preliminary estimate is that approximately 20-30 % of the ~11,000 loci targeted on the array we have designed are both polymorphic in our British study population and provide sufficient data quality to assign integer copy numbers to individuals.”
“OGT is delighted to have successfully processed the huge number of samples, on time and to exacting QC standards, in this landmark CNV study,” said Dr John Anson, R&D Director at OGT. OGT is committed to provide high quality data for a variety of high throughput microarray applications, offering a bespoke microarray service from array design and synthesis through to bioinformatics support and data analysis.
Agilent collaborated with the WTCCC and the Genome Structural Variation Consortium on the array design for this study, and Agilent manufactured the microarrays at its Santa Clara, California, fabrication facility.
“It’s very gratifying to be the provider of the microarrays, reagents, microarray scanners and automation equipment for such a large-scale and important study. This project demonstrated the ability of Agilent and OGT to work closely together to deliver high quality results in a very high throughput environment,” said Chris Grimley, Agilent senior marketing director, Genomics.
About Oxford Gene Technology
Founded in 1995 by the pioneer of Southern Blotting and microarray technologies, Professor Sir Edwin Southern, OGT is based near Oxford, UK.
The key focus areas of OGT include:
1. High Throughput Microarray Services and biomarker discovery With a processing capacity of over 1,000 samples per week applications available include aCGH, CNV, methylation studies and miRNA.
2. Cytogenetics products and services for high resolution detection of chromosomal abnormalities. OGT offers a range of high resolution oligonucleotide arrays, labelling kits and analysis software that together provide a unique, comprehensive solution for cytogenetics.
3. Digital microarrays/ Single Cell analysis. OGT’s innovative, patent-protected technology development programme is aimed at analysing genomic events at the single cell level for major applications such as stem cell and cancer biology.
4. Licensing. OGT operates an open licensing policy which has successfully provided access for a number of companies to OGT’s fundamental intellectual property, particularly in the area of microarrays.
For further information on OGT products and services please visit http://www.ogt.co.uk/
The Wellcome Trust is the largest charity in the UK. It funds innovative biomedical research, in the UK and internationally, spending over £600 million each year to support the brightest scientists with the best ideas. The Wellcome Trust supports public debate about biomedical research and its impact on health and wellbeing. http://www.wellcome.ac.uk
