Equipment must be booked online through iLabs for which you will need an iLabs login available here. You will need to discuss this with your lab manager.
By booking you are implicitly accepting our good citizen policy and you will be charged monthly based on the amount of time booked in the previous month. It is advisable to register on our mailing list to be kept informed of instrument downtime and other issues

The real time PCR (QuantStudio 7 Flex Real-Time PCR System) instrument can be booked by researchers for realtime PCR with both SYBR green and taqman probes each evening. The machine is operated by Genome Centre staff and a queue of plates are run each evening from 5pm**. In order to add your plates to the queue please ensure that you follow the simple instructions below. Note; plates provided after the deadlines will NOT be run until the next time slot, the next evening. ABI guarantee that their reaction is stable at 72 hours at room temperature, other providers may differ. Users requiring iterative end reads, i.e. those using KASPAR SNP typing chemistry may use the equipment during the day, under GC staff supervision - a booking is required for this.

1. Book a slot on the iLabs site (Schedule Equipment - qPCR and PCR blocks) covering the time needed for your PCR. Book the first available time after 5.00pm. Ensure that you include your Name and contact phone number in your booking Note; An average 40 cycle PCR takes 2 hrs

2. Create your template using Quantstudio software (Available from the Applied Biosystems website). Ensure that you have included the barcode of the plate that you are going to use in the file

3. Save your template and upload to your iLab job Deadline for completed template files is 4.30 pm

4. Prepare your plate, ensure that it is clearly labelled, sealed and leave it in our sample submission fridge (not freezer). Deadline for completed PCR plates is 5.00 pm

5. Data will be up loaded to the iLab job by 10am the following working day so that you can collect it from your desk