DNA sequencer first of its kind in Southern Hemisphere (10/8/2007)

Steve Maharey and university Vice-Chancellor Professor Judith Kinnear.

A next-generation DNA sequencer now installed at Massey University will enable scientists to analyse DNA 100 times faster than previously. The Solexa Genome Analyser system was launched this afternoon at the Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, on the University's Palmerston North campus.

Speaking at the launch, Minister for Research, Science and Technology Steve Maharey said the Solexa would enable the Centre to take a leading role in showing the world how such new technology could be used to study populations, individuals and diseases. "The new Solexa will advance our knowledge of the causes of diseases like Hepatitis-B and the genetic susceptibility to cancers such as stomach cancer," Mr Maharey said. "It will also help us find tests for diseases.

"It can also be used to study the genetic diversity of our native plants and animals or to identify the microbes that cause diseases on grapevines, which could be a huge benefit to the New Zealand wine industry."

Professor Mike Hendy, centre co-director, says this facility will contribute significantly to all genomic research conducted in New Zealand.

"By sharing the facility we are able to reduce costs and increase efficiency for all researchers. Although we have many new applications planned within the Allan Wilson Centre, history tells us that often the most dramatic advances are those that were not anticipated. The scale of data obtained is measured in terabytes per run, and hence there are major mathematical and computing challenges to be met in order to gain maximum benefit from this new source of information. The Allan Wilson Centre, as a cooperative interdisciplinary research organisation is well placed to take a major role in the world-wide effort to interpret and process this new information."

The Solexa and the existing ABI 3730 sequencer are complementary, and will allow almost all projects requiring next-generation sequencing to take place within New Zealand.

The Centre is a Government-funded Centre of Research Excellence, hosted by Massey and partnered by researchers from Auckland, Canterbury, Otago and Victoria universities. It comprises world-class ecologists, evolutionary biologists and mathematicians who work together to unlock the secrets of New Zealand's plants, animals, and microbes. Scientists from AgResearch, Fonterra, the University of Otago and Lincoln University attended a workshop session on how to prepare material for the Solexa and how to manipulate data generated, prior to the launch. The Solexa is intended to become an accredited facility, the only one in the Southern Hemisphere, and provides an opportunity to attract clients from across Australasia.

Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by Massey University

Post Comments: