The emergence of RNAi as a technology has allowed for a high-throughput and systematic approach to genome wide loss of function genetics in mammalian cells.

The BICMS Screening Facility enables multi-disciplinary academic researchers to carry out high-throughput siRNA and miRNA screens. Supported by dedicated screening staff, this state of the art facility houses miRNA and full genome siRNA libraries. A high-throughput approach is made possible by the liquid handling robotics allowing automation of the screening process. The facility has also purchased an automated epifluorescence microscope with flexible assay development and cellular analysis using dedicated analysis software. At the forefront of image analysis, this instrument represents an invaluable resource for such large-scale projects, and removes the rate-limiting bottle neck of manual data acquisition.

To date, the facility has successfully completed a number of high-content miRNA and genome-wide siRNA screens.

 

Key publications:

Bishop CL, Bergin AM, Fessart D, Borgdorff V, Hatzimasoura E, Garbe JC, Stampfer MR, Koh J, Beach DH. Primary cilium-dependent and -independent Hedgehog signaling inhibits p16(INK4A) (2010).Molecular Cell 40(4):533-47 PMID: 21095584

Borgdorff V, Lleonart ME, Bishop CL, Fessart D, Bergin AH, Overhoff MG, Beach DH. Multiple microRNAs rescue from Ras-induced senescence by inhibiting p21(Waf1/Cip1). Oncogene 29(15):2262-71 (2010) PMID: 20101223