Top 7 Best 2017 Labs for PCR Services on Scientist

PCR, or Polymerase Chain Amplification, is a targeted replication technique in vitro.

It was imagined by K. Mullis in 1985 and commercialized around 1988. It consists of a DNA polymerase resistant to high temperatures (Taq polymerase), which allows the automation of the technique. It makes it possible to obtain large quantities of a specific DNA fragment and of defined length from a complex and scarce sample.

The principle is very simple. It involves carrying out a succession of replication reactions of a double-stranded DNA matrix. Each reaction employs two oligonucleotide primers whose 3-prime ends point towards each other. The primers define the sequence to be amplified by limiting it. The trick is to use the products of each synthesis step as matrices for the subsequent steps, instead of separating them in order to reuse only the original matrix. Rather than being linear, the amplification obtained is exponential.

PCR has been deployed extensively in the lab in the last decades. A priori, there is no creation of value in making a PCR experiment. Since PCR is a well automated technique, with small space for error, it can be easily outsourced.

In fact, you would probably save time if you send your PCR to be done by subcontractors. In addition, if you don’t have the room, the human resource, or the equipment, outsourcing is the best option.

Here is a review of the subcontractors you can contact if you are interested in outsourcing your PCR experiments.

BioSistemika

• From Slovenia__•

BioSistemika LLC is an IT-Biotech company. It is a team of bioscience Ph.D.s and experienced software engineers, who are passionate about scientific data management and open source software.

They are positioned internationally, particularly in the US and the European market.

Their main focus is connecting scientific excellence and IT expertise with software solutions for molecular laboratories working in the field of life sciences. They integrate biological knowledge with IT expertise.

Their technology is called GENEIO. It is used for qPCR workflow application. GENEIO is a real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) workflow optimization application.

It is designed to reduce time spent on routine tasks.

It provides data traceability, experiment overview and contributes to the overall reliability of results.

Cellomatics Biosciences LTD

• From the United Kingdom__•

Cellomatics BioSciences is a laboratory-based Contract Research Organization.

They focus on integrated in vitro testing, from experimental conception to project delivery.

They offer several services, including assay design, logistics support, assay development, validation, project execution, data analysis, and a complete project report as a comprehensive package.

They have therapeutic expertise in different areas such as oncology, respiratory immunology, inflammation, and cardiovascular. Among other things, they specialize in lead target expression profiling, transcript expression by qRT-PCR and protein expression by western blot.

La Paillasse

• From France__•

La Paillasse is a community lab that fosters open science and technology. They offer a space of freedom together with a coworking space and a fablab. This merges with a biotechnology research laboratory.

It is the world’s largest community lab worldwide. It benefited from a grant from the Space Gambit Foundation, supported by NASA and DARPA, to develop an open-source bioreactor.

La Paillasse gathers all necessary resources to conduct prototyping and R&D projects. It offers access to fully equipped benches. It is available to any person wishing to use it.

It offers the legal and ethical framework for the collaborative implementation of open-source projects based on the non-patentability of technology without discrimination of age, diploma, or income.

The Department of Molecular Investigation (DMI)

• From Romania • University of Bucharest__•

The DMI belongs to the Research Platform in Biology and Systems Ecology that was developed with European fundings during project FSE POSCCE SMSI 915/14043, from 2010 to 2015.

Modern equipment facilities and state-of-the-art technologies allow the DMI to work on advanced studies in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. This lab performs both fundamental and applicative research in those areas of research.

The DMI has wide expertise going from genomics to transcriptomics, proteomics, nanotoxicology, biochemistry, and pathology-related studies.

They can perform classical PCR and PCR variants, such as PCR endpoint, gradient PCR, multiplex PCR, etc. The machines are suitable for amplification of a different number of samples by allowing the reaction set up in tubes, strips, or plates.

The DMI can also do downstream molecular analyzes and PCR products can be verified by horizontal gel electrophoresis.

They have the expertise to provide research services in a wide range of domains such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, cell biology, biochemistry, microscopy, histology, data analysis, and consulting.

Immunogenetics Laboratory

• From Moldova • Institute of Oncology of Republic of Moldova •

The Immunogenetics Laboratory uses sequencing analysis along with other methods to characterize different tumor samples.

They study somatic mutations, cancer susceptibility genes, copy number variation, methylation profiles, and gene expression.

The main aim of this laboratory is to develop new computational approaches and integrative methods to investigate cancer mutations and sunlight altered regulatory networks with their associated signaling pathways.

They perform qRT-PCR to determine the mutation profiles of the gene of interest in cancer diseases. They also have expertise in gene expression, SNP genotyping and high throughput qRT-PCR.

Genomic Technologies

From Israël • Weizmann Institute of Science__•

The Weizmann Institute of Science gathers multiple technologies for regular and high-throughput genomic analysis.

They offer high-throughput qRT-PCR service, SNP genotyping, digital PCR and Access Arrays.

Evolutionary Genetics Laboratory (eGL)

From Turkey • Ankara University •

At the Evolutionary Genetics Laboratory, they can perform PCR, qPCR, and ddPCR.

DDPCR corresponds to Droplet Digital PCR. It is a method for performing digital PCR that is based on water-oil emulsion droplet technology. A sample is fractionated into thousands of droplets, and PCR amplification of the targeted molecules occurs in each droplet.