@POG_LRC
In November 2010, The Howat Foundation helped fund the purchase of a Fluidigm Biomark to enable researchers at the Paul O’Gorman Leukaemia Research Centre (POG-LRC) at the University of Glasgow to undertake affordable high throughput gene expression analysis. The Biomark Dynamic Array CHIP uses thousands of intertwining microfluidic valves and channels on a silicon chip to combine the cDNA (genetic material) with the probes (specific to the gene of interest). High-throughput gene expression analysis can be conducted on cDNA from pooled cells, or tissue samples (such as biopsies), or from single cells.
Since it was purchased this machine has been extensively used by researchers at the POG-LRC to investigate pathways involved in leukaemia. The Biomark has been used to investigating genetic changes in Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia, Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia, Lymphoma and Polycythaemia Vera. Data generated has been included in several manuscripts and presented at both national and international conferences. In addition other members of the University have used this machine as well as researchers from the University of Edinburgh, University of Cork, and the Western General Hospital Edinburgh.