The rumor has become a reality! Thermofisher has announced they will no longer sell consumables, such as the capillary array for your DNA Analyzer, ABI 3130/xl. If you have one of these machines, you’ve probably already gotten a notice saying that you’ll have to upgrade your instrument soon. Even though the immediate response to this action is stressful for some labs, SeqGen has a plan.
One of the most common complaints we hear from our customers is they are seeing less than optimal results in their sequencing data. After making sure your machine is working properly, we often come to the conclusion that the issue is related to the capillary array.
Most of the time, the problem is simply a dirty capillary array. Over time, dried and degraded polymer will accumulate on the inner walls of your capillary array. This can adversely affect the resolution during sample runs and cause your results to suffer. Some common symptoms of a failing array are:
If your lab uses an ABI 3130/xl Genetic Analyzer or a 7900HT qPCR, we have some bad news. Thermofisher has discontinued service for these machines. As such, you may have received a notice saying you’ll need to upgrade your technology if you’d like to continue maintenance. But here's some good news: SeqGen plans to offer service coverage on these machines for many years to come!
I'm taking a step back in time from our technology-driven culture. I have been, for the past two weeks, living like a pioneer. Ok, more like a part-time pioneer. My refrigerator decided to throw in the towel and call it quits three days before Easter. Before finally calling a technician for help, I tried the standard troubleshooting process, hoping it would provide resolution.
This year, I went a little overboard with my New Year’s resolutions. I'm all in, and by all in, I mean I have joined every gym and exercise class possible. In addition to CrossFit, I have started kickboxing, Krav Maga, indoor cycling, a running club, and I might even try yoga. After all, what better time to strive for change and self-improvement than the new year? Sure, we can commit to new habits any time of the year, but undeniably, there is more motivation once the calendar changes to January 1. Along with your goals for personal growth, what about making a resolution related to business?
I have a confession: I put up my Christmas tree in mid-November. Eager to fill my home with holiday cheer, I dragged my fake, pre-lit tree out of the attic, plugged it in, and expected pure bliss.
SeqGen is incredibly dedicated to its customers and their machines. Your concerns are our concerns. We have recieved many emails and phone calls from our customers asking whether they have to upgrade their sequencing and fragment analysis software to work on the Windows 7 operating system. Like many major updates to these machines, this maintenance can be rather pricey. Before you write that check, you’ll want to make sure you actually need the update.
Maybe it’s my obsessive behavior or maybe I’m paranoid, but as the seasons change, I feel the need to do thorough preparation on the home front. I pull out my trusty checklist of required maintenance and cleaning, then get to work.
As the day wanes on, I find myself wondering, “What’s the point? Why do I exhaust myself fixing things that aren’t broken yet?” But then I remember Murphy’s Law – whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. If you simply anticipate and prepare for those inevitable little disasters, you can significantly reduce the amount of chaos you’ll have to deal with later.
Not too long ago, I decided to switch phones. It should have been a simple process. Buy the new device, take it home, transfer my data, and carry on. But this time, something went wrong. Eager to start using my shiny new toy, I completely forgot to back up my data on the cloud. And as a result, I lost everything: my notes, my contacts, and several years’ worth of important data. When my cell phone rings now, I’m always left wondering – is this a friend or a pesky solicitor?
You know the old saying – hope for the best, but expect the worst. At work and in life, setbacks are inevitable. This is especially true if you work with complex sequencing equipment. But with a little patience, any challenge can be overcome. And today, we’re taking on one of the biggest challenges our end users face: lasers gone bad.
