This is a proposal for funds to purchase instrumentation for high throughput DNA sequencing and genotyping for a core facility that serves members of two related programs at UCSF: the Program in Human Genetics and the new Program in Pharmacogenomics. The instrumentation sought, the ABI 3700 System, is state of the art. About 65 percent of the usage will be for sequencing and about 35 percent for genotyping with fluorescent labeled microsatellite markers. Because of the high degree of automation that this system offers it is ideal for usage in a core facility, where it can be operated almost continuously throughout the week by a small staff. The instrumentation is too costly for individual investigators to afford, and its high capacity permits sharing among a large group of users who represent 12 departments, in two schools. Some of these investigators are engaged in studies aimed at identifying and characterizing genes associated with human disease and genes that are important for understanding developmental processes in relevant model organisms (fruitflies, zebrafish, and mouse). Other core users aim to elucidate genetic factors that are important in drug response. The desire to exploit the power of high throughput genomic technologies unites all of the investigators participating in this application, and the equipment requested is central to the campus effort to provide these technologies.
