Certified Service Provider for CGH, Gene Expression, MicroRNA Microarrays

Agilent Technologies, Inc recently announced that the Institut de cancerologie Gustave Roussy (IGR) Genomic Centre has renewed its status as an Agilent Certified Service Provider and Reference Training Centre for a broad panel of microarray technologies including comparative genomic hybridisation (CGH), one-colour and dual-colour gene expression, and microRNA profiling. The IGR Genomic Centre first achieved Agilent Certified Service Provider status for gene expression microarrays in 2005. Now the IGR has expanded the panel of services to CGH and miRNA, and become the first centre in Europe to achieve this status for both DNA and RNA technologies. The centre is authorised to perform training for the same technologies that meets Agilent certification standards.

The IGR Genomic Centre achieved this status after passing a rigorous series of assessments. The assessments included proficiency in analysing Agilent’s 60-mer oligo microarrays using the complete Agilent workflow from sample quality control using Agilent’s 2100 Bioanalyser, to sample labelling, hybridisation, array scanning, feature extraction and data analysis. According to Professor. Jean-Charles Soria, Head of the Early Therapeutics Innovations Service (SITEP), acquiring an integrated genomic vision is extremely important for IGR research programmes. Such certified technology reinforcement enables IGR to conduct innovative research. “The partnership between IGR and Agilent is very comprehensive and efficient, ranging from Certified Service Provider, to European Training Centre, but also at the R&D level,” said Michael Mc Nulty, Senior Director of Agilent Diagnostics. Frédéric Laget, Agilent Senior Director, Life Sciences, adds that the impact on overall quality and harmonisation of procedures by this collaboration is very positive.