RainDance Technologies, Inc., a provider of innovative microdroplet-based solutions for human health and disease research, today announced that it has shipped its new RDT 1000 instrument and Sequence Enrichment application to The Genome Center (GC) at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, a world leader in genomics research.
Under RainDance's Early Access Partner program, RainDance will provide its new RDT 1000 and expert training to the GC, along with customized PCR primer libraries to selectively amplify loci of interest for their research initiatives.
Elaine Mardis, Ph.D., Co-Director of The Genome Center, said GC researchers "will be applying the platform in our large-scale targeted sequencing studies and are enthusiastic about reporting their experiences and results."
"If the technology delivers as promised, RainDance Technology stands to significantly advance the art of targeted sequencing," Dr. Mardis said.
"As a leader in advancing genome sequencing and its application to human health, we're very excited about the participation of the GC in our Early Partnership Program. Their input and experience will be invaluable as we introduce the RainStorm platform to the world's DNA sequencing market," said Chris McNary, President and Chief Executive Officer of RainDance Technologies.
"RainDance plans to commercially launch the RainDance platform in the first quarter of 2009," McNary added.
The RDT 1000 and Sequence Enrichment application utilize RainDance's breakthrough RainStorm droplet-based technology platform. The simplicity, speed, and minute volume of the technology are designed to maximize the efficiency of next-generation DNA sequencing workflows. The RDT 1000 generates picoliter volume PCR reactions at the rate of 10 million discrete reactions per hour. The high-speed sample processing is further enhanced by the fact that the Sequence Enrichment application utilizes a library of PCR primers in droplets enabling the amplification of hundreds to thousands of genomic loci in a single tube. The RainStorm format avoids the limitations of traditional multiplex hybridization and amplification technologies. RainDance's solution minimizes process-induced bias or error and requires only a few micrograms of genomic DNA.