Services - DF/HCC DNA Resource Core

Core Background
DNA Sequencing Services
Plasmid Repository

Core Background

The Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (DF/HCC) DNA Resource Core is housed by Harvard Medical School. The mission of the DNA Resource Core is to provide Harvard, Harvard Affiliates, and outside researchers with quality DNA sequencing services and sequence verified plasmid constructs, paired with comprehensive quality control and excellent customer support.

The use of DNA sequencing and plasmids is common to a wide variety of experimental applications in biological and biomedical research. DNA sequencing is regularly used as an assay for experimentation, including for the detection of subtle genetic differences and polymorphisms, and for verification of specifically engineered DNA constructs. Similarly, plasmids are used in a wide variety of assays, including cell-free and cell-based expression, cloning and sub-cloning of genes or fragments, and mutagenesis. The core was originally created to address the sequencing needs of cancer center members and researchers in the broader community, and continues to carry out this mission. Plasmid repository services were added in 2004 to reduce the burden on individual labs to store, maintain and distribute plasmid clones and supporting information.

DNA Sequencing Services

DNA Sequencing services include:

Large (48 or more samples) and small-scale (<48 samples)DNA sequencing
DNA Preparation in advance of DNA sequencing
Sequencing turn-around time of 24 hours
Sequence reads and quality control reports posted on a secure website
No-charge re-runs of failed sequencing reactions

Over the past eight years, the Core has continued to grow and support the DF/HCC and Harvard community with attention to user-friendly service and quality control, and the Core currently provides outstanding DNA sequencing services at the lowest cost for a DNA sequencing center in the Boston area. Currently, the Core sequences close to 200,000 samples per year from researchers around the world. For more information or to request the DNA Sequencing services visit the DNA Sequencing Core Homepage.

PlasmID Repository Services

Plasmid Repository services include:

Plasmid storage in an automated, quality-controlled freezer storage system
Sequence validation of deposited plasmids
Detailed annotation of plasmid data
Storage of plasmid information supported by the Plasmid Information Database (PlasmID)
Plasmid distribution through our website http://plasmid.med.harvard.edu/PLASMID
Simplified distribution through our expedited MTA process

The Plasmid Information Database (PlasmID) currently contains over 270,000 plasmids, including collections produced by HIP, the Human ORFeome Consortium as well as plasmids deposited by individual researchers. Besides storage of these plasmids in a state of the art automated freezer system, we also maintain a database containing detailed annotation of each plasmid that can be accessed by users through our website.

For more information about the PlasmID repository and how to order or deposit clones, please visit the PlasmID homepage.