Microfluidic
technology fuels the growing microRNA revolution - LC Sciences
tops 30th customer publication
Released
on: February 27, 2008, 9:15 am
Press
Release Author: LC Sciences
Industry:
Biotech
 Press
Release Summary: LC Sciences announced today the publication of
the 30th peer-reviewed study by one of its customers using the company’s
microarray service for analyzing microRNA expression profiles and
for discovery of novel small RNAs. These studies, by leading researchers
in the field, contribute to a fast growing body of knowledge defining
this recently discovered class of regulatory RNAs.
Press
Release Body: Houston, TX – February 27, 2008 – LC
Sciences announced today the publication of the
30th peer-reviewed study by one of its customers using
the company’s microarray service for analyzing microRNA
expression profiles and for discovery of novel small RNAs. These
studies, by leading researchers in the field, contribute to a fast
growing body of knowledge defining this recently discovered class
of regulatory RNAs.
LC Sciences’ microRNA profiling service,
powered by its µParaflo® microfluidic
technology, provides quick, reliable, fully analyzed data
enabling researchers to immediately move forward with innovative
research, and publish their results faster. Microarray results require
extensive validation prior to publication and the speed with which
researchers using this microRNA profiling service
have published their discoveries demonstrates the high-quality and
reliability of these results.
It has become clear that the simple idea that DNA makes RNA which
makes protein is not a complete picture. We now know that RNA does
much more than just make protein. Transcriptome microRNAs
and other small RNAs found in non-coding regions of genomes, once
considered unimportant, even “junk”, have been found
to regulate the expression of genes acting in almost every area
of biology. The publications to date by LC Sciences’ customers
span a diverse range of study areas, including cancer research,
neuroscience, cardiovascular research, reproductive biology, plant
science, virology, stem cell research, endocrinology, and small
RNA discovery.
The study of microRNA has attracted intense attention
and one of the most exciting aspects of this field is many scientists
are now thinking about just how much more we don’t know. Just
as the regulatory functions of some of the known microRNAs
are finally understood, many more microRNAs are
just being discovered. The number of microRNA sequences in the public
database (miRBase) has been increasing steadily
as new microRNAs are experimentally verified and
deposited there.
Especially in this rapidly evolving field, it is important for scientists
to have access to the most up to date information and research tools.
LC Sciences is giving researchers an edge through
the use of their flexible µParaflo® technology.
On chip synthesis (vs. spotting) of the most up to date microRNA
probes sequences from miRBase as well as addition of custom sequences
is enabled through a unique combination of microfluidics, digital
photolithography, and novel synthesis chemistry. This ensures that
researchers have the most complete picture of microRNA
expression in their samples and, through the use of completely custom
microarrays, allows for discovery of novel small RNAs as well as
validation of computationally predicted microRNAs.
The µParaflo® technology’s exceptional
sensitivity and specificity, and unique ability to stay current
in this rapidly developing field has enabled groundbreaking research,
as evidenced by the number of studies which have appeared in high
impact journals, including Nature, Science, PNAS, Nucleic Acids
Research, and RNA.
The 30th study, entitled “Endogenous
human microRNAs that suppress breast cancer metastasis” appeared
in the January 10th issue of Nature. Researchers at the Memorial
Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center uncovered a set of microRNAs
for which expression is specifically lost as human breast cancer
cells develop metastatic potential. They further showed that restoring
the expression of these microRNAs in malignant cells suppresses
lung and bone metastasis by human cancer cells in vivo. The strong
association of the loss of expression with metastatic relapse suggests
the potential for the use of these molecules in prognostic stratification
of breast cancer patients in addition to conventional clinical and
pathological staging markers.
“We are very excited about the announcement of the 30th
peer-viewed publication by one of our customers,” says
Chris Hebel, Director of Business Development at LC Sciences.
“This (microRNA) is turning into a very
competitive area of research and scientists are racing to be the
first to describe the mechanism of microRNA as
it relates to their field of study. We’re finding that many
researchers will send us samples that have no relation to any of
the previously described microRNA regulated areas just to see if
microRNA is involved in any way at all in their
system. We’re happy to provide the first step into this exciting
new field for them.”
About µParaflo® Technology - The
µParaflo® technology is a microfluidic platform
for in situ parallel synthesis of biomolecular chips and miniturization
of bioassays including binding and enzymatic reactions. This unique
platform technology is based on a new class of three-dimensional
pico-liter microfluidic reaction devices, and a digital light controlled
synthesis method that employs conventional oligonucleotide or peptide
synthesis chemistry; a completely programmable process. The seamless
integration of these multidisciplinary technologies enables a signifcant
advance in parallelization, miniaturization, customization, and
automation.
About LC Sciences - LC Sciences is a genomics and
proteomics products company offering a comprehensive line of DNA,
RNA, and peptide microarrays for nucleic acid/protein profiling
and functional analysis, biomarker-discovery, novel drug screening,
and the custom development of miniaturized assay devices for diagnostics
and biosensing applications. Based on the µParaflo®
microfluidics technology, LC Sciences’
innovative products offer significant flexibility and customization
capability for rapidly evolving, diverse customer needs. In an era
of rapid technological advancement, LC Sciences offers service products
which enable efficient one-stop solution for assays of DNA, RNA,
protein, enzymes, antibodies, or small molecules. LC Sciences
also provides unique synthetic DNA and RNA products such
as OligoMix®, generated using their microfludic
biochip synthesizer. These innovative products drive synthetic biology
and systems biology applications by reducing the cost and increasing
the speed of highly multiplexing large-scale nucleic acid and protein
engineering experiments.
More information about LC Sciences is available
at www.lcsciences.com.
1.
Tavazoie SF, Alarcón C, Oskarsson T, Padua D, Wang Q, Bos
PD, Gerald WL, Massagué J. (2008) Endogenous human microRNAs
that suppress breast cancer metastasis. Nature 451(7175), 147-52.
Web
Site: http://www.lcsciences.com
Contact
Details: 2575 West Bellfort Street
Suite 270
Houston, TX 77054
1-888-528-8818
FAX 713-664-8181
info@lcsciences.com
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