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DNA computer
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dsureshlingam
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Fri Jun 09, 2006 11:42 pm
DNA computer
i really in the field of nano technology. please give some ideas to star project in this field give idea how to make sillicon chips. how apply the sillicon making technology to DNA chip making technology. is it possible in doing the project in microbiology lab.
Sureshlingam.D
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carolinethorn
- Former Expert
- Posts: 393
- Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 2:40 pm
Hi Sureshlingham,
Nano technology is a very exciting new area and robots are being used more and more for assays in molecular biology. Many of the chips for measuring differences in DNA between samples are made by robots. It might be possible for you to find a lab that would let you observe a robot make a chip with your choice of assay on it and then run an experiment on it. The types of experiments would be "microarray" which measures how active the DNA is making RNA in a sample. ALso there are SNP array chips that measure small differences in DNA between samples, like a DNA fingerprint. The major companies that make these chips are Affymetrix, Agilent and Illumina - they all have websites that describe their products.
The equipment to run these types of experiments are very expensive so the types of labs that have this technology are in big medical schools or in biotech companies that make the chips or pharmaceutical companies. Labs use these chips for all kinds of experiments - comparing cancer cells and normal cells, comparing yeast cells that have been grown in different media, comparing harmful bacteria to harmless ones. You could try to find companies or labs in your area and write or email them about the opportunity to visit and see or take part in an experiment.
This might be difficult. So you could also start thinking about building a model about how the chips work. There are several databases that have results from different peoples experiments using DNA chips, so you might also think about how you could use some of those if you cannot find a lab.
Post back with your ideas,
Best of luck,
Caroline
Nano technology is a very exciting new area and robots are being used more and more for assays in molecular biology. Many of the chips for measuring differences in DNA between samples are made by robots. It might be possible for you to find a lab that would let you observe a robot make a chip with your choice of assay on it and then run an experiment on it. The types of experiments would be "microarray" which measures how active the DNA is making RNA in a sample. ALso there are SNP array chips that measure small differences in DNA between samples, like a DNA fingerprint. The major companies that make these chips are Affymetrix, Agilent and Illumina - they all have websites that describe their products.
The equipment to run these types of experiments are very expensive so the types of labs that have this technology are in big medical schools or in biotech companies that make the chips or pharmaceutical companies. Labs use these chips for all kinds of experiments - comparing cancer cells and normal cells, comparing yeast cells that have been grown in different media, comparing harmful bacteria to harmless ones. You could try to find companies or labs in your area and write or email them about the opportunity to visit and see or take part in an experiment.
This might be difficult. So you could also start thinking about building a model about how the chips work. There are several databases that have results from different peoples experiments using DNA chips, so you might also think about how you could use some of those if you cannot find a lab.
Post back with your ideas,
Best of luck,
Caroline