Resources

The UMGC is a multi-facility resource encompassing services for sequencing, single-cell genomics, spatial genomics, genotyping, gene expression analysis, epigenomics, ddPCR, microbiome studies, and CLIA-based NGS, as well as pre-analytical services. Resource Guide Download.

Staff and Laboratories

40 scientists are housed in a total of three laboratories spanning the Twin Cities, both on and off campus. Together, these core facilities encompass roughly 18,000 square feet. The UMGC has a budget of > $12M per year and hundreds of internal and external clients.

Next-generation Sequencing

Illumina NovaSeq 6000. Illumina NextSeq 2000. Six Illumina MiSeqs. Illumina iSeq 100. Element Biosciences AVITI. 

Long-read Technologies

PacBio Sequel II System. 

Next-generation Sequencing Library Prep Devices

Covaris S220 Acoustic DNA Shearing Device. Sage Biosciences PippinPrep and ELF automated gel-sizing devices. Fluidigm Access Array system for amplification-based NGS library creation.

Single-cell Genomics

10X Genomics Chromium X platform for high-throughput single-cell transcriptomics. Miltenyi MACSQuant Tyto for cell sorting.

Spatial Genomics

NanoString GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiler platform with NGS (Illumina) and NanoString (nCounter) downstream processing platforms.

Genotyping

Ten QuantStudio 5 and two QuantStudio 7 for Uniplex (Taqman) genotyping. Illumina Platform including iScan scanner and autoloader and two Tecan Infinium automation systems equipped for Infinium genotyping chemistries.

Epigenomics

Illumina Platform including Illumina iScan scanner and autoloader and two Tecan Infinium automation systems equipped for Infinium DNA methylation chemistries. DNA methylation analysis using next-generation sequencing on Illumina sequencers in combination with bisulfite sequencing and/or locus-specific sequence capture. PacBio Sequel DNA methylation sequencing.

Gene Expression

Ten QuantStudio 5 and two QuantStudio 7 real-time PCR instruments for real-time qPCR analysis. Full complement of Roche Universal Probe Library (UPL) probes. Illumina Platform including Illumina iScan scanner and autoloader for Illumina DirectHyb and DASL expression chemistries. NanoString nCounter Gen2 platform. Fluidigm BioMark HTP real-time Q-PCR/ digital PCR platforms. Bio-Rad QX200 Droplet Digital PCR system.

Miscellaneous

Over 40 PCR thermocyclers blocks (96- + 384-well). QIAGEN, Beckman, Eppendorf, and Hydra liquid handling robots, as well as a Labcycte Echo 525 liquid handler. Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzers (2), 8-channel Nanodrop quantitation instruments (2), and Agilent TapeStation 2000 high-throughput capillary electrophoresis system.

Informatics

The UMGC has built and operates its own electronic Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). For most services, projects are ordered online, and data are posted electronically. MSI’s Research Informatics group provides bioinformatic analysis services.