Gene Expression Analysis

Labcorp now offers ddPCR technology to allow nucleic acid quantification with ultrasensitivity and high precision using Bio-Rad’s QX200 System. ddPCR enables absolute quantification of molecular targets that are undetectable with traditional techniques.

A recent addition to Labcorp’s service portfolio, NanoString’s nCounter® Analysis System and the GeoMx® Digital Spatial Profiler (DSP) can be used to inform how a drug modulates gene expression and the signaling pathways that regulate tumor growth.

The NanoString nCounter® allows for analysis of up to 800 RNA, DNA or protein targets simultaneously with high sensitivity and precision. The system utilizes molecular "barcodes" and single molecule imaging to quantitate hundreds of unique transcripts in a single sample.

Other key advantages of using the NanoString nCounter® include:

• A number of “off-the-shelf panels” for oncology (human and mouse) available, customizable to include up to 55 additional unique targets
• Optimized for challenging sample types (FFPE, tissue, lysates and biofluids)
• Only low amounts of precious sample material required
• Accurate and faster than qPCR (no amplification requirements) and simpler than next generation sequencing

While NanoString nCounter® provides great quantitative data on gene or protein expression levels from tumor samples, spatial context is key to gaining further insights into tissue biology. NanoString GeoMx® DSP is the spatial biology solution and it can be used to gain a deeper understanding of the tumor and the complex interactions within the tumor microenvironment.

The NanoString GeoMx® DSP technology builds upon the highly robust NanoString nCounter® digital barcode technology, providing morphological context and high-plex protein or gene expression profiling from just one prepared slide sample. The technology uses software that offers tremendous flexibility when selecting a region-of-interest strategy (geometric, segmentation, cell-type specific, contour, gridded) to visualize spatial architecture and analyze multiple biomarkers of a tissue sample. The data analysis software in GeoMx® DSP supports easy visualization and interpretation of data. High-resolution images can be displayed alongside quantitative profiling data, allowing interaction with either dataset in real time.

Labcorp is the only preclinical CRO, globally, to offer NanoString’s GeoMx® DSP technology.

In addition to being utilized as a standalone in vitro service for genetic expression screening using cell-based models, NanoString may also be used in an ex vivo setting to analyze the drug mechanism of action in in vivo animal models, thereby offering the ability to screen multiple therapeutics to identify promising lead compounds.

我们使用StepOnePlus™实时PCR系统，该系统可以在96孔板上读取四种不同的颜色，并支持SNP基因分型、基因表达分析、microRNA表达、易位分析和基因检测等检测。我们的PCR专家可以帮助您确定培养细胞、新鲜组织或冷冻组织中特定基因的表达。无论您是需要测量不同细胞系、小鼠、组织或肿瘤中不同基因的表达，还是需要通过不同治疗方法监测不同基因的表达，我们的PCR专家都可以帮助您设计适合您的研究。

基因表达谱分析是指一次测量成千上万个基因的活性（表达）以创建细胞功能的全局图。使用下一代测序技术对RNA进行测序、定量，并与来自特定基因的数千种已知RNA序列进行比对。这些图谱可以区分活性分裂的细胞、显示细胞对特定治疗的反应或确定哪些基因在不同细胞系、小鼠品系、组织或肿瘤中差异表达。 Labcorp collaborates with a partner laboratory that specializes in sequencing the RNA.一旦获得测序信息，我们就可以使用该软件来量化、比对和分析数据。我们可以比较单个基因的表达、相关基因集、通路特异性或过程特异性基因组以及样本之间的整个基因组，并以简单的图形和数字显示比较结果。