Cambridge, UK: Syngene, a world-leading manufacturer of image analysis solutions,
today announced its G:BOX iChemi XR imaging system is being used by
scientists at the University of Cambridge to help unravel the molecular basis of
sight.
Researchers in the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience
(PDN), at the University of Cambridge are using a G:BOX iChemi XR system to
accurately analyse chemiluminescent Western blots labelled with ECL PlusTM and
also to image agarose gels containing DNA stained with SYBR Safe™. The
information from the gels and blots is being used to understand the molecular
mechanisms of phototransduction and retinal degeneration in fruit fly (Drosophila).
The G:BOX iChemi XR system in the Department of PDN contains intelligent
control software to allow the system, once set up, to be left unattended to automatically
produce a perfect chemiluminescent blot image. The system is also fitted
with an orange filter and blue lighting for precise detection of SYBR GOLD, SYBR
Green stains and SYBR Safe.
Dr Che-Hsiung Liu, a Research Associate in the Department of PDN stated: “By
analysing mutant versions of genes involved in calcium and lipid signalling
pathways we are beginning to understand the mechanisms of activation and
regulation of the light-sensitive channels in the eye. The amounts of proteins that
are up and down-regulated are often small and generate very weak chemiluminescent
signal, therefore we have to have an imaging system that can detect
these subtle changes. Additionally, we stain our DNA with SYBR Safe so that we
can extract the DNA from the bands and we need an imager to detect these stains
too. We reviewed four different types of imaging system and finally decided to
install the G:BOX iChemi XR because it gave us the value of essentially having
two systems in one.”
Laura Sullivan, Syngene’s Divisional Manager concluded: “We are delighted to see our
G:BOX iChemi XR contributing to such interesting research. The fact that scientists at one
of the world’s leading universities have compared so many image analysers and still believe
our G:BOX iChemi XR outperforms them all, is a great testament to the unparalleled
benefits this system offers both protein chemists and molecular biologists.”
About Syngene
Syngene is a world-leading supplier of integrated imaging solutions for analysis and
documentation of gel-based information. Syngene’s systems are used by more than 10,000
research organisations and over 50,000 individual scientists world-wide and include many
of the world’s top pharmaceutical companies and major research institutes.
Syngene, founded in 1997 is a division of the Cambridge based Synoptics Group. The
Group’s other divisions, Syncroscopy and Synbiosis, specialise in digital imaging solutions
for microscopy and microbial applications respectively. Synoptics currently employs over 40
people in its UK and subsidiary operation in Frederick, USA.
About the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience
On January 1, 2006 the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience,
(PDN), was formed from the merger of the Departments of Anatomy and Physiology at the
University of Cambridge. PDN is the largest department in the School of Biological
Sciences at the University and research here is primarily in three major areas: Cellular and
Systems Physiology, Developmental and Reproductive Biology, and Neuroscience.
The Department has strong collaborative links with the other departments in School of
Biological Sciences and with the Clinical School, the Cambridge Centre for Brain Repair,
the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, and the Gurdon Institute.
