The DNA Microarray Facility provides access to various forms of technology for gene expression analysis, pairticularly DNA microarray technologies, to members ofthe Duke Comprehensive Caricer Institute. This includes Affymetrix microarrays as well as printed DNA microarrays produced in the facility. Importantly, the facility also provides service for microarray analysis, either with Affymetrix arrays or printed oligonucleotide arrays. As a result of the volume of use, the facility has negotiated an agreement with Affymetrix that now provides a very substantial discount in cost of microarrays and services, to the benefit of Cancer Institute members. Beyond the microarray services, the facility also provides Cancer Institute members access to an ABI 7900 RT-PCR instrument for validafion of gene expression results as well as alternative methods of expression assay, and access to an Axon Genepix Scanner for those wanting to scan their own arrays. In addifion, the facility provides substantial support for data analysis and management of microarray datasets. These services include inifial consultafion in experimental design, assessment of RNA quality, generafion of probes, hybridization to arrays, scanning of arrays, data analysis, and data management and storage. The Microarray Core Facility developed and uses a custom LIMS that integrates every point ofthe data production process, starting with sample submissions from researchers to laboratory operations, and then to final billing and posfings. With the LIMS tools and the repository features ofthe Express data repository, data of different types can be grouped and managed by projects, and because ofthe simplicity ofthe web-based interfaces that have been developed, researchers can execute their own analysis and data management in a simplified fashion. The impact of the facility on research in the Cancer Institute has been substantial, as evidenced by the large number of publications as well as the translation of these services into clinical practice in the form of multiple investigator-initiated clinical trials making use of DNA microarray analysis to guide clinical decisions.
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