Central Analytical Facilities
Welkom by Universiteit Stellenbosch

​​DNA Toerusting Gallery


​​​​​​​​​​​​​The ABI3730xl uses 96 glass capillaries to simultaneously analyse 96 samples.  Linked to the automated polymer delivery system and plate handling "autosampler" makes the 3730xl (affectionately known as Grendel) a "monster" of a machine when it comes to throughput.

In order to feed the monster Grendel we use a Tecan Evo  liquid handling robot (Spongebob to his friends) to perform post PCR clean-up and post sequencing clean-up of samples arrayed in 96 well plates. 

The Ion CHEF is not only pretty, but also a very skilled member of the team.  The CHEF performs emulsion PCR, enrichment and CHIP loading for two chips at a time, making it look “easy as pie”.

Eva and Higs are the “power couple” of the lab.  Eva (an Ion S5)   is capable of generating up to 12 million  600bp NGS reads per chip while Higs (an Ion Proton) generates up to 90 million  200bp reads.  Each of these sequencers can run 2 chips per day.

In order to keep our cool, we keep your precious RNA at -85°C

While we love our machines they are a noisy bunch.  The instrument room is a safe place where they can work happily in a clean temperature controlled space without driving the humans insane with their noise.

The sequencing lab is divided into separate rooms to separate the various activities.  This ensures that samples are not contaminated and everyone can keep a clear head no matter how many samples we process.

The entrance to a place of great possibilities.​