Genetic Analysis

MassARRAY^® technology is trusted by the leading genetics institutions worldwide. The new benchtop MassARRAY Analyzer 4 system makes this reference-standard DNA analysis technology accessible to more laboratories.

The MassARRAY system addresses the many changing requirements for each stage of biomedical research. Its SNP Discovery and Genotyping capabilities help to identify and prioritize genetic targets. The Quantitative Gene Expression and Methylation applications are employed in the functional analysis and characterization of targets.

Applications

Multiple applications can be performed on one system that include:

• SNP Genotyping: iPLEX^® Gold for SNP Genotyping will revolutionize your validation studies. Multiplex up to 36 SNPs in a single well and process up to 384 samples in parallel.
• DNA Methylation: EpiTYPER^® for DNA Methylation analysis delivers individual methylation ratios for CpGs within a target sequence. It also is very accurate: relative methylation ratios can be assessed in a range between 10-90% with a standard deviation of 5%
• Molecular Typing: iSEQ™ for Molecular Typing offers a combination of automation, versatility and discriminatory power that is superior to any other comparative sequence analysis system. The versatility of the iSEQ™ software and open database access enables comparative sequencing with a wide range of global reference databases. Analysis results for 384 reactions are automatically achieved in less than an hour.
• Somatic Mutation Profiling: The Oncocarta™ Panel v1.0 provides a  comprehensive oncogene panel for profiling somatic mutations, enabling cancer researchers to profile genetic changes rapidly for basic research, clinical research, and/or drug development studies.
• Quantitative Gene Expression: QGE combines competitive PCR with MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry enabling a highly accurate, sensitive, and high-throughput method for the quantitative analysis of gene expression

Research Areas

MassARRAY technology and its applications have been used over the years in several Research Areas; to facilitate your understanding of the technology we have grouped some of the most important ones.

Translational Research: While whole genome studies have yielded large numbers of candidate biomarkers for disease diagnosis and predictive drug outcome, very few to date have been clinically validated.  Closing the gap between discovery and clinical utilization requires high-throughput tools that enable efficient and cost-effective validation of panels of biomarkers in population-based studies. 

Cancer Solutions: The utility of genetic profiles as biomarkers in the field of cancer biology is well accepted and widely documented. From gene polymorphisms in BRAF and EGFR, to methylation and expression profiles, genetic markers have been used for risk, progression, and prognosis. 
 
Agricultural Genomics: MassARRAY technology is a powerful tool for downstream marker validation and large-scale screening. In addition to SNP genotyping, Sequenom offers a broad portfolio of solutions for agricultural genomics including copy number variation (CNV), methylation, and gene expression (QGE).

Grant Resources: We encourage researchers to submit grant proposals for projects relevant to MassARRAY technology.  You will find useful grant writing tools and information here.
 

System

The new MassARRAY Analyzer 4 system brings the power of mass spectrometry, robust molecular biology, and advanced data analysis software to meet the needs of high- and low-throughput laboratories. The system provides increased throughput, faster time-to-results, and the ability to cost effectively run from tens to thousands of samples - making the Analyzer 4 system an ideal genetic analysis system for use in basic and translational research laboratories.