DNA & RNA Extractions

Genomics protocols rely on accurate sample tracking and high quality samples. Our focus is on providing DNA and RNA extraction workflows from a wide variety of sample types.

Samples can be delivered through the post, handed in to reception or collected within the Edinburgh Clinical Research Facility. Every sample is receipted and logged in to our Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) which allocates a unique sample barcode and tracks the sample through the workflows and into final freezer storage.

We use a combination of automated and manual DNA & RNA extraction workflows depending on the requirement of the samples and difficulty of the extraction. 

Automated platforms

  • 3x Revvity Chemagic 360 platforms (24-head & 96-head) (for blood & saliva samples)
  • Qiagen QiaCube (for FFPE & cfDNA samples)
  • Covaris E220 (for FFPE samples)
  • MP FastPrep-24 (for stool samples)

Popular Sample Types

  • Blood (4ml preferred)
  • Saliva (using Isohelix or DNA Genotek kits)
  • Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded samples
  • Stool samples
  • Tissue samples

Sample Storage is in our suite of alarmed and monitored ULT and -20oC freezers ensuring the long-term security of over 120,000 samples from important cohorts.

For more information on our sample processing service please contact Lee Murphy 

A picture of technicians standing by the Revvity Chemagic systems
The Revvity Chemagic systems can be used to extract DNA and RNA from a variety of sample types