Short Course Description

Microarray Technology for Biomedical Research and Diagnostics — Introduction to Microarray Technology

Get an insight into the technology behind the buzzword "microarrays". Learn to critically evaluate microarray solutions for diagnostics and research purposes.

Who Should Attend

The target groups are scientists, technician and engineers that consider working with microarrays and for those who are currently working with some applications of microarrays but want a broader view on the subject. It is helpful to be familiar with genes, RNA and proteins to follow the course. In many cases, we will use biological or clinical relevant examples to illustrate how DNA and protein microarrays work.

How You'll Benefit From This Course

• Learn about one of the hottest topics in genomics and proteomics
• Understand how this technology operates, its limitation and advantages
• See examples of realized commercial solutions
• Understanding the roadblocks to implement microarrays in diagnostics, including QC and automation
• Be able to critically evaluate microarray technology solutions.
• See the future perspectives and technologies

Course Topics

• Fundamental microarray technology (surface chemistries, fabrication, hybridization and detection technologies).
• Construction of a SNP genotyping array
• Gene expression profiling for cancer classification
• Multiplex immuno assay using protein microarrays
• Genome wide analysis of amplification and deletion using comparative genomic hybridization
• Use of microarrays in diagnostics
• QC and automation problems/requirements with microarrays in diagnostics
• Future technologies enabling higher throughput of microarrays and implementation of microarrays in point-of-care systems.

Course Fee: US $500/$600*

Course Format: Lecture

Class Limit: 40

Instructors:

Michael Stangegaard, Ph.D. University of Copenhagen Copenhagen, Denmark

Michael Stangegaard was educated as civil-engineer in chemistry and biotechnology in 2002 and received his Ph.D. in 2006, both from the Technical University of Denmark. He has more than five years experience with microarrays including identification of Campylobactor spp. and development of a colorimetric detection method. The Ph.D. thesis focused on the development and characterization of a micro cell culture chamber as well as cell culturing on different surfaces. Different culturing environments were compared to reference culture flasks by means of gene expression profiling using full genome oligo arrays. Furthermore the impact on the reverse transcription reaction of different lengths of random primers was studied using full genome oligo arrays. Currently Michael Stangegaard is working as a forensic geneticist at the Section of Forensic Genetics at the University of Copenhagen. His primary job function is automation of routine forensic genetic protocols in an accredited environment.

Martin Dufva, Ph.D. Technical University of Denmark Kongens Lyngby, Denmark

Martin Dufva received his M.Sc. in 1998 and his Ph.D. in 2001 both from the Göteborg University (Sweden). In his M Sc. thesis he developed and described a quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction for detection of an alternatively spliced mRNA of a macrophage receptor. The Ph.D. thesis focused on functional characterization of an Epstein Barr Virus nuclear protein also identifying interacting cellular proteins and the effect on cellular gene expression and mRNA maturation. Martin Dufva holds an associate professor position at the Department of Micro and Nanotechnology at the Technical University of Denmark. Leading the microarray technology group, his research is orientated towards molecular biology on chip, with the microarray platform as a core technology. The goal of the research is to build diagnostics array for detection of beta-thalassemic mutations and detection of mutation in PAH and building small molecule arrays for quantification of pesticides. In order to reach the goals, the research includes microfluidics processing of microarrays, effective immobilization chemistries, efficient method for mutation and simple detection methods. Other research fields include cell culture on chip and determination biocompatibility of material and cell culture chip solution using gene expression profiling. Martin Dufva has published more than 20 scientific papers in various fields of micro array technology. www.mic.dtu.dk.

* higher fee applies to those who are not ALA members