DNA quantitation project
UDBN and the Centre for Integrated Genomic Medical Research are members of Public Population Projects in Genomics (P3G).
P3G is a not-for-profit international consortium promoting collaboration between researchers in the field of population genomics. It aims to provide the international population genomics community with the resources, tools and know-how to facilitate data management for improved methods of knowledge transfer and sharing.
Under the P3G umbrella, UDBN is coordinating an international project to harmonise DNA measurements in academic labs and commercial facilities. The aim is to facilitate the movement of samples between labs by ensuring compatibility of results obtained in quantity and quality measurements. The project called DNA Quantity and Quality Control (Q2C) will examine a range of parameters in lab work affecting large-scale genetic experiments.
Large-scale genetics experiments increasingly involve activities in several laboratories. It is therefore important that measurements made in one laboratory are consistent with those made in another. One measurement where anecdotal evidence suggests that such consistency is not optimal is the measurement of DNA concentration.
To seek to improve consistency, UDBN has joined with P3G to run an international DNA quantitation experiment with academic and commercial participants.
The experiment calls for participants to measure a standard set of DNA solutions that UDBN provides. Identical 96-well plates containing DNA at different concentrations are distributed to each participant. They measure the concentrations using a method of their choice and return data to UDBN for analysis. On publication, the data are de-identified. Data can be viewed after registering here.
By repeating the experiment over time, consistency within and between labs is ascertained. This then allows each participant to review their protocols to increase consistency of DNA concentration estimation. Click here for details on the pilot experiment.
If your lab (academic or commercial) would like to consider participating, contact administrator at dna-network.ac.uk .
The advantage of participating in Q2C is the knowledge participants gain that their DNA quantitation measurements are consistent (or not consistent) with those of other labs - including major genotype providers. Such consistency is essential [a] for multi-centre collaborations [b] to expedite out-sourced genotyping. There is a suggestion that inconsistency leads to varying concordance as well as varying call rates.
