Division of Biology and Medicine
BioMed Core Facilities

Genomics Facility

The Genomics Core Facility provides state-of-the-art genomics equipment and services including Next Generation Sequencing, DNA/RNA shearing, sample QC, Affymetrix microarray, qPCR services as well as other self service instrumentation.

About

The Genomics Core Facility, located at 70 Ship Street, Room 109, provides state-of-the-art genomics equipment and services to researchers at Brown University, the entire Rhode Island research community and external customers. 

The facility offers Next Generation Sequencing, DNA/RNA shearing, sample QC, Affymetrix microarray, qPCR services and provides assistance with experimental design, trouble shooting, and data analysis. Please see our menu for detailed information on the services offered, instruments available and current rates.

The core is available to students, staff and faculty at Brown as well as researchers from all Rhode Island research institutions. Training is provided for new users. We welcome investigators to contact us regarding our services.

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Services and Instruments

Full-Service Instruments

Our Services

A high throughput bench top sequencer that provides accurate fast sequencing data, and can be easily adopted to a researcher’s needs depending on their required read length and sequencing depth.
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From discovery to translational research, the GeoMx DSP is the most flexible and robust spatial biology solution designed to conform to your ever-changing research needs.
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Self-Use Instruments

Instruments Available for Self Use

Access & Training

The Core Facility can be accessed through card access, after authorization. If you don't have a Brown username and password, please contact Christoph Schorl (401-863-2875) for access to the Genomics Core Facility.

Self service is available for trained users after approval by the Facility Director. Affymetrix equipment and bioanalyzer are operated by the director of the Core Facility.

Training by Core Facility staff is required on each instrument before first use. Please contact us to arrange training before you need to use the equipment. Only the Facility's staff members are authorized to train users. 

Service Request and Reservations

ATTENTION! NEW Phase 2 regulations

  • Only researchers approved for resuming research stage 1 or stage 2 can enter the Genomics Core and perform experiments in the Genomics Core.
  • Two persons apart from the Core Director are allowed in the Genomics Core, but they cannot work in the same bay.
  • Please indicate in the room calendar which instrument you will be using, e.g. qPCR or plate reader.

 All other rules from Phase 1 still apply.

Prior to reserving an instrument, please reserve the room in the Genomics Core Facility Room 109 calendar.  

Room Reservation Instructions: Genomics Core Facility Room 109

1. Open your Google Calendar through your Brown Gmail account.
2. Create an event by either:
     a. clicking the "Create" button on the top left of your calendar
     or
     b. clicking on the area in the calendar (Date and Time) that you want to reserve.
3. Add the event name and ensure the correct date and time.
4. Copy and paste the following Google Calendar ID into the "Add Guests" field.
Calendar ID: brown.edu_l2lvgrcv67t4ofkfbftrndldrk@group.calendar.google.com
5. Click the save button once you are finished. 

Requesting Full-Service Instruments

The Genomics core provides the following services.

  • Next Generation Sequencing
  • Affymetrix Microarray Service
  • Quality Control of Nucleic Acids Analysis with Agilent Bioanalyzer and Fragment Analyzer
  • NanoString - nCounter Sprint Profiler DNA & RNA Analysis
  • Covaris S220 Focused-ultrasonicator*

For more information or to request service, please contact the facility director Christoph Schorl.

Reserving Self- Use Instruments

Internal users can click on the reservation button below to reserve the following instruments. For all other instruments and services, please contact the Facility Manager.

  • ViiA 7 Real Time PCR Systems*
    • [A] 96 well block, TLDA block, 384-well block
    • [B] 96/TLDA block, 384-well block
  • BIO-RAD QX200 Digital Droplet PCR
  • Li-Cor Odyssey System
  • Nanodrop One
  • Cytation 5 Plate Readers
  • Synergy H1 Hybrid Multi-Mode Reader
  • Beckman Ultracentrifuge
  • Countess Cell Counter
  • Genepix Scanner

*Full or Self-Use available

External users may reserve equipment by contacting Christoph Schorl by email at Christoph_Schorl@brown.edu or by phone at (401) 863-2875.

Rates

Equipment User Fees: FY24

Service

Units

Internal Rates

External Academic Rates

Affymetrix* Array $48 $76
qPCR (Viia-7)* Run $36 $57
Bio-Rad, Qx200 Digital PCR Reader Sample $90 $144
Nano Drop One Use $6 $9
BioAnalyzer* Run $25 $41
Fragment Analyzer Run $44 $70
Cytation 5 Plate reader Run $27 $42
NanoString nCounter Sprint Profiler Run $270 $431
NanoString GeoMX Slide $411 $656
Synergy H1 Hybrid Multimode (H1MM) Microplate Reader Plate $25 $40
Licor Odyssey System Run $10 $16
Beckman Ultracentrifuge Hour $33 $52
Countess Cell Counter Slide $3 $5
Covaris* Sample $18 $28
Illumina NextSeq 550 Sequencing System - Assisted Use Run/Setup Rate* Run $326 $520
Hourly Labor Rate/Consulting Fee Hour $53

$84

Effective 1/1/2024

*Additional variable fees apply for supplies. Please inquire with the Facility Director. 

Internal Rates apply to Brown University researchers, Brown University-affiliated researchers (including MBL), and non-profit institutions located in Rhode Island. Commercial rates available, please inquire about prices directly from the Director of the Core Facility (Christoph Schorl, 401-863-2875).

Contacts/Location

Staff

Contact Address

Genomics Core Facility
Laboratories for Molecular Medicine
Brown University
Box G-E109
Providence, RI 02912
(401) 863-2875 

Location

70 Ship Street, Room 109
Providence, RI 02903
Campus Map
Google Maps

Resources for Grants

Genomics Core Facility. This facility is located at the Laboratories of Molecular Medicine and staffed by a full-time PhD-level director. It provides investigators access to a variety of advanced instrumentation and training. DNA sequencing services are provided using an Illumina NextSeq 550 Sequencing System. Instrumentation housed in the facility includes a Nanostring nCounter® SPRINT™ Profiler, an Affymetrix Gene Chip Workstation, two ABI ViiA™ 7 Real-Time PCR Systems, a BIO-RAD QX200 Droplet Digital PCR, an Advanced Analytical Fragment Analyzer, a Cytation 5 Plate Reader, a Synergy H1 Hybrid Multimode (H1MM) Microplate Reader, a Covaris S220 Ultra-Sonicator, an Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer, a LI-COR Odyssey Infrared Imaging System, a Countess Cell Counter, an AXON GenePix 4000B Scanner, a Beckman Optima Max Ultracentrifuge, and a Nanodrop ND 1000.

Scientific reproducibility is enhanced through scientific rigor and transparency.  Scientific rigor is the strict application of the scientific method to ensure unbiased and well-controlled experimental design, methodology, analysis, interpretation, and reporting of results. The Genomics Core is committed to supporting research excellence by adopting the following practices of scientific rigor.

  • Purchase and maintain a variety of high-quality instruments from established vendors such that the best instrument is available for any given research analysis.
  • The equipment is overseen by highly trained Genomics experts and well maintained under service contracts or funds budgeted for annual preventive maintenance and repairs.
  • The Genomics experts are available for experimental design consults or troubleshooting.
  • All Genomics users are thoroughly trained by the expert staff, one on one,  and not granted access to the instruments until they are deemed to be suitably trained. 
  • All newly trained users are also required to use the instruments during daytime hours to increase interaction with the expert staff members.

Rigor and Reproducibility

Acknowledgment

This facility has received partial support from the National Institutes of Health (NIGMS grant Number P30GM103410, NCRR grant Numbers P30RR031153, P20RR018728 and S10RR02763), National Science Foundation (EPSCoR grant No 0554548), Lifespan Rhode Island Hospital, Brown University's Division of Biology and Medicine and Provost's office.

If you present work carried out at the Genomics Core Facility in a talk or publication, please remember to acknowledge the Genomics Core facility and its funding.

Please send us the title of your presentation, and where and when you presented the work or the citation for your manuscript.

Thank you very much!