Affymetrix and NuGEN have announced an agreement to co-market NuGEN's WT-Ovation FFPE System that enables researchers to conduct global gene expression analysis on archived FFPE (formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded) DNA samples, using standard Affymetrix GeneChip 3' expression arrays.
The system needs only 50 nanograms of total RNA from FFPE samples to provide micrograms if cDNA in just six hours.
"The NuGEN/Affymetrix pairing is an important step forward for biomarker discovery and validation," said Sean George, senior vice president of Global Marketing at Affymetrix.
"Unlocking the treasure trove of information in archived FFPE samples should help accelerate the development of more effective treatments for complex genetic diseases such as cancer."
Affymetrix has also launched a cancer-fighting alliance. As part of its Collaborations in Cancer Research Program alliance, the company will partially fund selected research projects that "demonstrate clinical utility, enabling participants to develop new approaches to elucidate cancer mechanisms and to accelerate discoveries in more than 10 different forms of cancer."
Agilent has opened its new China headquarters campus, which includes an Open Lab and Solution Centre as well as a Life Sciences and Chemical Analysis Centre of Excellence. The new campus is based in the Beijing Wang Jing Science Park and combines Agilent's Beijing-based R&D, sales, marketing, technical support and after-sale functions in one location.
"With the rapid development of China's economy, the opening of this campus is an important investment for us," said Bill Sullivan, Agilent CEO.
"Agilent has a long history of working in China, now our second-largest and fastest-growing market in the world. Today's announcement demonstrates Agilent's long-term commitment to China and is an integral part of our global strategy."
Agilent has also announced Clinical Data's Cogenics Division as its First Certified Service Provider for its recently released miRNA Microarrays. This will give scientists in research institutions and drug discovery programs immediate access to an important new tool for understanding gene regulation.
"We're pleased to be the first Agilent Certified Service Provider for this platform as miRNA is generating a great deal of interest within the academic and drug discovery research communities," said Dr Robert Bondaryk," senior vice president of Cogenics.
Eksigent has announced a new distribution agreement with New Zealand Scientific, allowing the California-based firm to supply its NanoLC HPLC product line in New Zealand and Australia.
PANalytical has acquired the rights to the Willis and Duncan course on advanced X-Ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis, a long-established program that has helped train and educate X-ray analysts.
Shimadzu Corporation has named Takeshi Kawami President of its Shimadzu Scientific Instruments division. Kawami will replace Osamu Ando, who served as president for seven years, and will oversee overall sales and management functions for the US subsidiary of Shimadzu Corporation
