Jane Gets Fast Answers for Cancer Research with Wes

ADDRESSING CANCER FROM ALL SIDES

Jane Gray is the Head of the Research Instrumentation Core Facility at Cancer Research UK, Cambridge
Institute (CRUK CI). The facility bridges the world-class science of the University of Cambridge together with Addenbrooke’s Hospital and serves research groups focusing on different questions relating to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention for a range of different cancers.

PAIRING SCIENTISTS WITH THELATEST TECHNOLOGIES

The core provides CRUK CI researchers, like Sir Shankar Balasubramanian who studies how unusual structures of DNA and RNA and their chemical modifications regulate cell function, access to state-of-the-art equipment and specialized technologies. Scientists sit down with Jane’s group to discuss what they want to achieve and then receive training and support to run experiments themselves on the recommended technology. As a leader in cancer research, the Research Instrumentation Core is always keeping an eye out for new technologies, like Simple Western™, that’ll help CRUK CI maintain it’s status as a top cancer research institute.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS ANSWERED FASTER

Once the Research Instrumentation Core obtained a Wes™ they quickly saw interest in the system increase. Wes gave researchers better throughput and high reproducibility in results that were obtained in just three hours!

Many researchers in the facility use Wes to screen samples. They’re now able to process lots of samples in quick succession and the hands-free nature of the system lets researchers focus on other aspects of their projects. In fact, research with Wes is now approximately 3-4X faster compared to before. Users at CRUK CI are seeing their projects handled more efficiently, saving them time and giving them answers to their research questions faster than ever.

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF PRECIOUS SAMPLES

In the past three months, Jane has seen Wes usage increase from one CRUK CI research group to four, with multiple users from each group. Jane expects the system’s popularity will continue to grow as researchers see and hear from others using it. Wes only requires 3 μL of sample to generate high quality data and Jane predicts this will be extremely beneficial to the many CRUK CI scientists using precious patient tumor samples received from the Addenbrooke’s Hospital.

Researchers will be able to make these small samples go further and perform more experiments - allowing them to reach new discoveries in cancer research quicker than ever before.