Molecular Cytogenetics Facility

The T. C. Hsu Molecular Cytogenetics Facility (MCF) is funded by the Center for Genetics and Genomics (CGG). Dr. Guillermina Lozano is the Director and Dr. Asha S. Multani is the Co-Director of the facility. The MCF is administered through the Department of Genetics.

This facility offers Conventional as well as Molecular Cytogenetic services including cell line authentication, species identification, karyotyping, analysis of genomic instability, Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization (FISH) and Spectral Karyotyping.

One of the key expertise of our facility is to validate the origin of cell lines. Approximately 20-30% of all cell lines used in biomedical research are contaminated. Many top tier journals have begun to request proof of cell line authentication from investigators. Unlike other methods, chromosomal analysis is able to unambiguously identify cells from all common mammalian species and can also differentiate between cells from the same species. This analysis can therefore identify intra-species and inter-species cell line contaminations.

We will take the time to understand your project and plan for the preparation of samples for analysis. We will help with interpretation of the results and upon request provide a detailed description of method as well as microphotographs (color or black and white) suitable for inclusion in reports or manuscripts to the investigators.

The Molecular Cytogenetics Facility is equipped with:

• Nikon 80i microscope with 10X, 20X, and 63X plan Apo objectives
  
• Nikon 80i microscope with 10X, 20X, and 60X plan Apo objectives
  
• Nikon Eclipse 400 microscope with 10X and 63X objectives
  
• Nikon Eclipse 200 microscope with 10X objective
  
• Nikon 50i microscope with 10X, 60X and 100X objectives
  
• Nikon Eclipse TS100 microscope with 10X and 40X objectives
  
• Sensys 1060x540 CCD camera
  
• Two Applied Spectral Imaging karyotyping workstations (SKY) and spectral karyotyping interferometer plus workstations.
  
• State of the Art Applied Spectral Imaging Hyperspectral Karyotyping software.
  
• CoolSNAP HQ2 Monochrome camera: 14 bit, 20MHz Digital monochrome Camera, Motorized focus control with Z stacking capability
  
• NIS-Elements: Advanced Research Acquisition and analysis package
  

High Impact Publications

• Gallardo M, Lee HJ, Zhang X, Bueso-Ramos C, Pageon LR, McArthur M, Multani A, Nazha A, Manshouri T, Parker-Thornburg J, Rapado I, Qunitas-Cardama A, Kornblau SM, Martinez-Lopez J, Post SM. hnRNP K is a novel haploinsufficient tumor suppressor that regulates proliferation and differentiation programs in hematologic malignancies. Cancer Cell. pii: S1535-6108(15)00305-0. 9/2015 PMID: 26412324
  
• Colla S, Ong DS, Ogoti Y, Marchesini M, Mistry NA, Clise-Dwyer K, Ang SA, Storti P, Viale A, Giuliani N, Ruisaard K, Ganan Gomez I, Bristow CA, Estecio M, Weksberg DC, Ho YW, Hu B, Genovese G, Pettazzoni P, Multani AS, Jiang S, Hua S, Ryan MC, Carugo A, Nezi L, Wei Y, Yang H, D'Anca M, Zhang L, Gaddis S, Gong T, Horner JW, Heffernan TP, Jones P, Cooper LJ, Liang H, Kantarjian H, Wang YA, Chin L, Bueso-Ramos C, Garcia-Manero G, DePinho RA. Telomere dysfunction drives aberrant hematopoietic differentiation and myelodysplastic syndrome. Cancer Cell. 11;27(5):644-57, 5/2015 PMCID: PMC4596059
  
• Wang Y, Waters J, Leung ML, Unruh A, Roh W, Shi X, Chen K, Scheet P, Vattathil S, Liang H, Multani A, Zhang H, Zhao R, Michor F, Meric-Bernstam F, Navin NE. Clonal evolution in breast cancer revealed by single nucleus genome sequence. Nature 512(7513):155-60, 8/2014. PMCID: PMC25079324.
  
• Maiti SN, Huls H, Singh H, Dawson M, Figliola M, Olivares S, Rao P, Zhao YJ, Multani A, Yang G, Zhang L, Crossland D, Ang S, Torikai H, Rabinovich B, Lee DA, Kebriaei P, Hackett P, Champlin RE, Cooper LJ. Sleeping beauty system to redirect T-cell specificity for human applications. J Immunother 36(2):112-23, 2/2013. PMCID: PMC3568214.