UTHSC Announcements

The Department of Medicine Presents: “Recent Advances in Fabry Disease: Translating the Latest Science into Best Practice” by John L. Jefferies, MD. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2019 at 8:00 AM. COLEMAN NORTH AUDITORIUM.

Bin He, Ph.D., Associate Professor, College of Medicine, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, will present a seminar entitled “Deciphering Molecular Circuits Of Oncolytic HSV”, Today, Monday, December 9, 2019, in the MSB Conference Room 201A at 4:00 p.m.

Take an original photograph of diversity around the UTHSC community, based on the theme “What Does inclusion look and feel like?” and submit your photograph for your chance to win a $20 gift card!

The Library is graciously accepting new or very gently used coats, scarves, gloves, and other winter gear from November 25 to December 18. You can find a donation box in the Library, near the GEB Café, the Madison Plaza by the Vol Shop, and in the foyer of the SAC. All proceeds go to Room in the Inn. Questions? hjasmin@uthsc.edu

Novogene Contract for Next-Generation Sequencing Via the Molecular Resource Center (MRC)

The Office of Research is pleased to announce that UTHSC has set up a standing contract with Novogene for next-generation sequencing (NGS) services for sample submissions that are managed through the Molecular Resource Center (MRC) institutional core. Novogene will offer UTHSC-affiliated investigators who are referred to Novogene via the MRC discounted pricing levels that are comparable to pricing previously only offered to their first-time customers. In addition, pricing for services will be furthered discounted for bulk samples submissions (24+ samples/service).

The procedures for obtaining contracted pricing with Novogene are as follows:
•Set up a consultation with the MRC Director, Dr. Bill Taylor, wtaylor@uthsc.edu to advise on experimental design and the pros/cons of in-house sequencing services offered by the MRC versus the services offered by Novogene. One advantage of working directly with the MRC will be rapid turnaround time.
•Read the sample submission requirements and guide on the Novogene website https://en.novogene.com/support/sample-preparation/
•After samples have been prepared for submission, contact Alejandro Puente at Novogene and request a custom sample submission form. Refer to the contract number provided by the MRC.Alejandro.puente@novogeneusa.com (919) 208-0506, Southeast Regional Manager
•Alejandro or one of his colleagues, will send a sample submission form that is customized for your laboratory, which the laboratory is responsible for completing.
•Your laboratory will need to provide a printed copy of the submission form to include with your sample shipment. You will also need to email a copy of the form directly to Alejandro Puente and to the MRC Director and business manager:
•or Alejandro.puente@novogeneusa.com, and Natalie Smith nsmith@uthsc.edu , and Bill Taylor wtaylor@uthsc.edu. NOTE: Each lab is responsible for sample preparation, packing their samples and for paying for the shipping costs to submit samples to Novogene.
•The MRC will serve as the official conduit between the investigator and Novogene, including discussing troubleshooting issues or addressing any customer complaints for work completed under the contract. A $10 fee/sample submission will be billed to the investigator by the MRC via iLab for using the Novogene contract.
•When your sequencing project is complete, per the terms of our contract, your laboratory will have 90 calendar days to download your data from the Novogene server before it is deleted.

If your laboratory is interested in long-term, secure data storage, or requires assistance in retrieving data from the Novogene server, please contact Dr. Daniel Johnson, Director, Molecular Bioinformatics (mBIO) core, djohn166@uthsc.edu, to discuss options

Roche Discontinuing Universal Probe Library (UPL)

Roche will be discontinuing the Universal Probe Library (UPL) and the design software starting January 1, 2020. The Molecular Resource Center (MRC) will be ordering probes that are commonly used soon (week of Dec16th) and that will be our final order. Thus, if you are using UPL probes, please give us a list of the ones that you need to have on hand, so we can have stock for some time after the discontinuation. You should not design any new UPL assays at this time since you may not be able to complete your project before the probes are no longer obtainable.

The MRC staff are trying to work out an arrangement with IDT to supply probe based assays and hopefully we will make progress toward the goal of affordable probe assays from this point forward. However, this will still be more expensive than the current UPL assays.

We will continue to make Master Mixes (both probe and SyBr green) and cDNA kits available at discounted prices for the foreseeable future.

Thanks for your cooperation.

William L. Taylor PhD, Director

wtaylor@uthsc.edu