Kris Kruse, Ph.D., Director of the Nevada Genomics Center (NGC), and Vincent Lombardi, Ph.D., Research Director of the Whittemore Peterson Institute (WPI), are pleased to announce that the University of Nevada, Reno, in collaboration with the WPI, completed the acquisition of Life Technologies’ next generation sequencing platforms: the Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine and Ion Torrent Proton. The purchase order for these two highly advanced research platforms was placed through a federal HRSA grant, and the equipment is now available for use through the NGC. Next generation sequencing allows for the identification of novel pathogens and other genetic risk factors associated with particular diseases. These types of investigations can lead to personalized therapies based on an individual’s own DNA profile.
“We’re very excited to have these advanced platforms placed in the Nevada Genomics Center so that we can offer next generation sequencing services to research labs within the entire University research community and beyond,” noted Kruse.
The NGC is also home to faculty with expertise in bioinformatics and advanced digital data analysis in support of the University’s research goals. Karen Schlaugh, Director of Bioinformatics for the NGC, will be integral to the process of discovery by facilitating all data analysis using computational biology tools.
The collaboration between the WPI and NGC will provide new and exciting opportunities for the entire Nevada research community.
“We are happy to be able to support our community by combining the institute’s efforts and resources with the University’s,” explained Dr. Lombardi. “Sophisticated technology such as this allows WPI and University researchers to stay in the forefront of biological research in our search for answers to many serious diseases.”
