30/05/13: Cool! IDT Now Offer qPCR Assay Plates
May 30, 2013 by Peter · Leave a Comment
I think that this is a great new release by Integrated DNA Technologies (IDT, www.idtdna.com).
It’s been a long-awaited release. IDT has announced the launch of PrimeTime® qPCR Assay Plates, for high throughput qPCR analysis. Primers and probes for 5’-nuclease and intercalating dye assays (e.g., SYBR®) can now be directly ordered online in a 96 well plate format, eliminating the time-consuming transfer of primers and probes from reagent stocks, and streamlining the reaction set-up. PrimeTime qPCR Assay Plates offer an ideal solution for many applications that generate large quantities of data, such as validation of NGS and microarray data, as well as high throughput gene expression screening.
Addressing the needs of each particular qPCR assay requirement, a range of primer and/or probe concentrations are available, delivered lyophilized within a 96 deep-well plate. For additional flexibility, different dye-quencher combinations can also be ordered on the same plate, extending the range of assays that can be performed during a single run. The researcher does not even need to purchase a complete 96 well plate, just 24 assays is the minimum per plate order. Further cost savings are possible once a plate layout has been designed, since replicate plates can be generated at a lower total cost per reaction, making this format particularly suited to high throughput applications in academia and industry.
Designing and ordering your custom assays in this new plate format is rapid and intuitive with the online PrimeTime® qPCR assay tool, which allows users to easily create a master plate via simple copy and paste actions from source data. Alternatively, researchers can select from a specialized library of predesigned human, mouse, or rat assays generated by IDT’s sophisticated design engine. In addition to incorporating accurate Tm and secondary structure prediction data, this assay design engine takes into account the latest data from the NCBI RefSeq database, to avoid off- target amplification and SNPs, thus ensuring maximum assay performance.
As standard, IDT ensures the highest quality oligonucleotide synthesis, with full QC assessment by mass spectrometry, and results available free of charge on our website.
For more information, please visit www.idtdna.com. Follow us on twitter @idtdna for real-time updates and insights.
22/02/13: When You Need to Customize PCR/qPCR Primer Designs – Free Webinar
February 22, 2013 by Peter · Leave a Comment
This is notification of a new webinar from IDT:
When You Need to Customize PCR/qPCR Primer Designs
It is often necessary to select primers using specific parameters; e.g., a particular GC content or Tm, forcing the start or stop position of a primer end. However, not all primer design tools provide this flexibility. In this interactive webinar, we will demonstrate several primer customization scenarios using the free, highly popular PrimerQuest™ Design Tool, including:
• When to use default design parameters, and when to customize assay design
• How to design primers for one, two, or up to 50 sequences at a time
• How to approach specific customized design scenarios suggested by and voted on by participants of this webinar
Tuesday, February 26th – 7:00pm CST
Wednesday, February 27th – 8:00am CST (This is the best one for European-based researchers)
Wednesday, February 27th – 1:00pm CST
This webinar could be interesting to researchers who have been using IDT’s PrimerQuest, as this has been updated.
20/09/12: ..and Yet Another MIQE Webinar!
September 20, 2012 by Peter · Leave a Comment
This time the webinar is from IDT and will be on Tuesday, September 25th. The nice thing about this one is the convenience: you can choose from one of two times when you would like to hear the webinar. Like all the IDT webinar series to date, I expect this one to be on YouTube shortly after completion as well.
Anyway, here are the headline and link to the information/registration page:
MIQE Guidelines: A Roadmap for Proper qPCR Experimental Design and Reporting
Presented by Professor Stephen Bustin
18/09/12: New MIQE qPCR eSeminar, October 10th 2012
September 18, 2012 by Peter · Leave a Comment
Those nice people at Agilent are organising an e-Seminar on MIQE, under the headline of “qPCR Assay Design and Validation.” This e-Seminar comes with the following description:
“A sensitive and specific qPCR assay is a basic prerequisite for the acquisition of reliable, reproducible and biologically relevant results.
Many published assays have been neither appropriately designed nor properly validated, leading to conclusions that are frequently wrong.
Some commercial vendors offer predesigned assays, claiming to generate optimal results for negligible user input. The quality of these assays varies considerably and it remains essential to optimise and validate those assays in laboratories.
Consequently, the ability to design assays remains a key skill for anyone aiming to use qPCR assays and the aim of this seminar is to demonstrate just how simple good assay design is.
Join this live eSeminar and learn about:
| • | How to streamline a workflow that allows researchers to design bespoke assays | |
| • | Develop techniques to generate robust data |
Speaker is Stephen Bustin from Anglia Ruskin University. You can
On a related subject, do not forget to check out the excellent qPCR design tools at IDT’s Website:
17/09/12: BioCision Launch CoolBox XT Workstations + Promo!
September 17, 2012 by Peter · Leave a Comment
I am always impressed by both the creativity and quality that goes into BioCision’s products. I guess the company motto could be “death to ice,” or similar! This is particularly apt with the release of BioCision’s CoolBox XT Workstations. In summary, the CooBox XT Workstations provide over 16 hours of ice-free cooling for your samples without electricity or batteries.
If you are serious about reducing variability in the way your samples are handled at the lab bench, I believe that it is more than worth your time checking out BioCision’s product line.
There is a CoolBox XT Workstation promotion that you can also take advantage of here.
A very quick video explains the concept:
http://player.vimeo.com/video/44962411?autoplay=1&loop=1
10/05/12: How to Design Primers and Probes for Almost Any qPCR/PCR Target
May 10, 2012 by Peter · Leave a Comment
My advice is to use IDT’s PrimerQuest.
I have been working with some customers in Denmark to help get them started on this, because they are studying organisms that are not included in the (pretty big) model organism defaults to be found in IDT’s other design tools (SciTools).
PrimerQuest is pretty easy to use and I’ve posted a very short “how to” guide here. The only time-consuming part of using this tool is the BLAST you need to do on the primers/probes, but come on, if you’re in research isn’t that your job?
27/04/12: Some Nice Customer Feedback (ZEN qPCR)
April 27, 2012 by Peter · 2 Comments
Following the successful qPCR assay design seminars held at the start of March 2012, a number of customers took up the opportunity to try out free qPCR assays. I recently got some nice feedback from one such customer. Always good to know that sometimes people can be helped.
This from a customer at Skejby Hospital in Aarhus:
“ I have tried the IDT ZEN probes and they are as I expected – much better than the ones we had, and our technician have ordered the real ones to use in our diagnostic assay “right away”.
It was very convincing 
with much lower background. Everybody was convinced by first look at the results!!!
I am happy that I got the opportunity at the right time ”
11/01/12: Video of Integrated DNA Technologies’ (IDT) European Facility
January 11, 2012 by Peter · Leave a Comment
It is great to be able to find further information on IDT available on the internet. I think that the following will be interesting to a lot of customers who are currently using IDT: A video of the IDT European facility in Leuven, Belgium. The US sites will have a lot of similarities of course. Have you ever wondered what a world-class oligonucleotide synthesis facility looks like? Wonder no more…
04/10/11: Information on Agilent’s Autumn Promotions for Genomics Researchers
October 4, 2011 by Peter · Leave a Comment
Agilent are running a bunch of promotions on genomics-related product this Autumn (actually it’s turning out to be the nicest time of year, given the wet Summer). They are summarized here:
- Bioreagents: Buy 3 Stratagene products, get the cheapest one for 1 DKK
- Brilliant III: Buy 1 kit of Brilliant III qPCR reagents, get a second one for free
- Genespring & microarrays: Get 50% off your Genespring data analysis software annual licence when you order > DKK 112K of genomics products
- SureSelect: Buy 1 SureSelect target enrichment kit and get a second one for free (valid for 5 to 25 reaction kits)
- SureCycler bundles: Combine our SureCycler 8800 PCR instrument with our Mx 3005P real-time PCR instrument or with our microchip electrophoresis system (Bioanalyzer 2100 or Lab 901 TapeStation) and get 30% off your bundle
You can also go to the Official Agilent Autumn Promotion page.
Save time by contacting me directly if you are interested.
09/09/11: Using PrimeTime qPCR Assays in Multiplex Experiments
September 9, 2011 by Peter · Leave a Comment
IDT have posted a short article on their website about using their PrimeTime qPCR Assays in multiplex assays. The PrimeTime assays themselves allow researchers to change the primer:probe ratio and use well-separated fluorescent dyes on the probes. Read the article to get further insight.
07/09/11: Alert: MIQE Seminars in Copenhagen and Aarhus, September 27th and 29th
September 7, 2011 by Peter · Leave a Comment
Just a short post to inform researchers in Denmark about the upcoming MIQE Events in Copenhagen and Aarhus.
I am very lucky in being able to get Raza Ahmed from Agilent’s genomics team over for a few days. Raza has tons of experience in qPCR, having worked for Stratagene before they became part of Agilent. Raza has agreed to give an introduction to MIQE (read more on the Events page) that should serve to educate and inform researchers about the guidelines. There will be plenty of time to ask Raza about qPCR subjects not related to MIQE as well.
Please come along, say “hej”, listen and learn and enjoy a coffee.
29/06/11: Agilent’s Summer Promotion on Genomics Products
June 29, 2011 by Peter · Leave a Comment
I am pleased to inform you (well, if you are a researcher in Denmark at least) of Agilent’s Summer promotion on genomics products. The promotion is valid from now(28 June 2011) until August 31st 2011. Headlines below, with a bit more detailed information beneath each heading
Contact me if you are interested.
Update 12 July: Agilent have a Summer Promotion webpage now live.
Purchase the New SureCycle PCR Instrument Together with the Mx3005P qPCR Instrument and get 30% off the Bundle
This is possibly the best offer of the whole promotion. The SureCycler is the hottest new instrument from Agilent, very cool (connect to it from a mobile device) with great specs. The Mx3005P is a well-proven and robust qPCR instrument that won’t let you down.
Purchase the Bioanalyzer with Agilent SureCycler 8800 or with >5000€ of Bioreagents and get 30% off the Total Bundle
Hmm. On second thoughts, perhaps this the the best of the Summer Promos. It really depends on what you are after. Of course, Bioreagents can mean a lot of things: PCR enzymes/kits, nucleic acid sample prep and qPCR reagents would be the most obvious. The combination of the Bioanalyzer with qPCR reagents sounds like a good combination to me, given that the Bioanalyzer is great for doing QC on RNA.
Get 50% off Absolutely RNA extraction kit when you purchase Bioanalyzer reagents
For those of you who are reguarly ordering Bioanalyzer kits (and that means lots of you), this is a great opportunity to try out one of Agilent’s best nucleic acid purification lines. The Absolutely RNA extraction kits come in a number of size options (mini-, micro- and nano-prep) and there are kits for miRNA and FFPE samples too. This is really a great excuse for you to try out these kits, especially if you haven’t had a lot of success with what you are currently using.
10,000€ discount on your genomics consumables order when you purchase an Agilent Bravo Automated Liquid Handling Platform
OK, so not everyone has the money available for an Agilent Bravo. However, if you are in the market for a small-footprint, very fast and accurate pipetting workstation, you really have to consider the Bravo. You will save many many days of work by having a Bravo in your lab, not to mention saving your pipetting thumb!
10,000€ (about DKK 75K) will get you a lot of genomics consumables.
Genespring and exon arrays: buy 5000€ of exon arrays and get 25% off your Genespring annual license, buy 10k€ of exon arrays and get 50% off the annual license.
Yes, it is that simple. Purchase Agilent’s high-quality exon arrays and get a big saving on the GeneSpring license (which you can then use to analyse all that lovely data and put into a biological context).
The Exon arrays are available for human, mouse and rat.
So that is the summary of Agilent’s Summer Promotion on genomics products. It looks pretty good to me and will mean that you come back from your Summer holiday with new gear to get into your research again after the break.
12/04/11: Developments in Real-Time Symposium, June 13-17 2011, Prague
April 12, 2011 by Peter · Leave a Comment
Just a little reminder about TATAA Biocenter’s great qPCR event in Prague (comprising conference, exhibition and workshops), June 13th-17th. As usual, it has the highest quality speakers and training and is a must for both experienced and novice users.
Learn more and register at http://www.qpcrsymposium.eu/content/view/1/4/
By the way, students who attend the workshop event will get to go to the conference free of charge!
12/04/11: Agilent Easter Promotions on Bioanalyzer and Bioreagents!
April 12, 2011 by Peter · 1 Comment
Enjoy Easter with Agilent’s special promotions!
Spring is coming (yes, even though this is Denmark – I just looked out of the window and it is definitely there, hiding around the corner). To celebrate, Agilent are offering two special promotions:
20% off the Bioanalyzer and one free kit
25% off or more on your Bioreagents order
To benefit from these great offers, contact Agilent before April 30th, 2011 and mention promotion code S_EASTER11 when you place your order.
To simplify your choices when it comes to Bioreagents, I have written a short post on tried and tested Agilent products in ten application areas here.
02/03/11: Agilent’s Nordic Genomics Roadshow Comes to Denmark
March 2, 2011 by Peter · 1 Comment
Agilent Technologies invites you to their Genomics Roadshow.
Come along and find out more about Agilent’s microarray & qPCR platforms and get the latest update on SureSelect - target enrichment for Next Generation Sequencing and GeneSpring 12 – analysis software for microarrays, MS and Next Generation Sequencing data.
The Dates and Locations for Denmark are:
Copenhagen – March 30, 12:30-17:00, DTU
Aarhus – March 31, 12:30-17:00, Aarhus University
AGENDA highlights:
· Microarray applications – Gene Expression, Exon, CGH+SNP, miRNA & Custom array
· Genespring – Data analysis in Multi Omics Research – Analyzing MS, microarray and NGS data.
· SureSelect – Target Enrichment for Next Generation Sequencing
· Automation in genomics
· Improved detection and quantification in Real-Time PCR
> Register now, seminar is free but seats are limited!
26/01/11: Agilent Genomics eSeminar Series (looks interesting)
January 26, 2011 by Peter · Leave a Comment
Agilent are running a whole series of online eSeminars, starting in February and running through to April. I think that Agilent have chosen some interesting subjects to cover here (based on the titles). Subjects include cytogenomics, SureSelect, qPCR, Bioanalyzer and GeneSpring.
> Take a look at the upcoming seminars, or
> View abstracts and register at www.agilent.com/genomics/eSeminarSeries
26/01/11: Agilent Real-Time PCR Course,17-18 March 2011
January 26, 2011 by Peter · Leave a Comment
Agilent Technologies invites you to a two day Real Time PCR training course conducted by Dr. Kristina Lind at the TATAA Biocenter.
Please note: place numbers are limited to 12, so you are encouraged to register early to avoid disappointment.
Highlights include:
· A mixture of seminars and laboratory practicals
· The principles of Real Time PCR
· An explanation of absolute and relative quantification
· Applications for quantitative and qualitative analysis
· The principles of primer/probe design
· Optimization and Validation
· Quality control of template
· Introduction to MIQE guidelines
· Data Analysis
> To register: send a mail to customercare_sweden@agilent.com
When & Where:
TATAA Biocenter, Gothenburg, Sweden
Thursday 17th and Friday 18th March 2011, 9:00am-5:00pm
Cost:
2-day course is 5000 SEK/4200 DKK/480 Euros (+VAT) per person.
Fee includes course material, lunch and refreshments (accomodation cost not included)
20/01/11: IDT now offers pre-designed qPCR Assays
January 20, 2011 by Peter · Leave a Comment
IDT now offers PrimeTime Pre-designed qPCR Assays that are guaranteed to work for human, mouse, and rat transcriptomes. All PrimeTime qPCR Assays consist of two primers and a hydrolysis probe. All three components are combined into a single tube and shipped in 2–4 business days. Each oligo undergoes 100% QC by mass spectrometry, with all QC results provided free of charge on the IDT website.
Download detailed information about these assays here (PDF file).
This looks like a great product to me. If you are interested in trying out one of these assays, please contact You Do Bio.
18/01/11: Reminder: “Developments in Real-Time PCR” symposium, June 13th-17th, Prague
January 18, 2011 by Peter · Leave a Comment
TATAA Biocenter (represented in Denmark by You Do Bio) will be running the symposium in Prague. You can take a look at the symposium homepage here: http://www.qpcrsymposium.eu/.
TATAA’s training and symposia are known for their high standard. If you are a user of qPCR, this conference is well worth checking out.
24/11/10: Special Price when You purchase Bioanalyzer and MX qPCR Instrument Together!
November 24, 2010 by Peter · Leave a Comment
If you are working in the field of molecular biology / genomics, Agilent’s 2100 Bioanalyzer and Mx3005P QPCR Systems are a great combination to enhance the quality of your research.
Both instruments can become an integral part of your work, producing reproducible and reliable data. Take a look at these exciting features:
2100 Bioanalyzer
- Ready to use assays and reagent kits for RNA, DNA and proteins
- Save your precious sample – use just 1-4 µl
- Digital data for convenient analysis, data sharing and archiving
Mx3005 qPCR
- Advanced scanning optical design gives large dynamic range of detection and reproducible results
- Five interchangeable filter options gives ultimate flexibility for the assays you use
- The most user-friendly qPCR software available – MxPro.
Contact You Do Bio to find out about exciting discounts when purchasing a 2100 Bioanalyzer and an Mx3005P.
