Real-Time Quantitative PCR Equipment for Gene Expression Studies

We are requesting the support for an ABI PRISM 7700 Sequence Detection System to perform real-time, quantitative polymerase chain reaction analyses. This equipment will be located at the Institute of Food Research and used on a daily basis by groups investigating the links between diet and gene expression, and the patterns of bacterial gene expression that relate to food poisoning. This equipment will also give us the capacity to perform large-scale quantification of the expression of human genes implicated in colon cancer in response to diet and phytochemicals. We will also be able to accurately monitor the expression of bacterial genes in response to environmental stress and during the process of mammalian infection. <P>
The data concerning the effect of dietary compounds on cancer will contribute to the understanding of the importance of diet on cancer prevention leading to sound dietary advice for the public. The food safety applications will allow the measurement of bacterial gene expression in the food chain with the aim of devising new approaches to the control of bacterial food poisoning. In addition, PRISM 7700 will allow us to obtain quantitative confirmation of gene expression data produced by the DNA microarray facility that has recently been set up at IFR.