qPCR Europe Agenda

Registration

Measurement Accuracy in Single Cell Gene Expression Analysis
Alison Devonshire, Science Leader, LGC Limited, United Kingdom

Single cell RT-qPCR reveals cellular heterogeneity within populations, however defining measurement precision is challenging. We have assessed strategies for quantifying sources of technical variability and bias involved in cell capture, extraction, reverse transcription, pre-amplification and qPCR and demonstrate how RNA standards can be used for quality control.

Technology Spotlight:
Automating Various Genomic Workflows On One Single Platform, the Agilent Bravo
Ingo Poleschak, Product Specialist, Agilent Technologies

This presentation will give you a short overview about how you could realize workflows for your DNA/RNA-extractions, PCR- and qPCR, CCH, NGS and target enrichment experiments, this for low, mid- or high throughput, using Agilent Technologies flexible automation toolkit. We provide turn-key solutions as well as an open platform which leaves you the choice of many different kits or frequent changing protocols. With its pipetting range from 0.3ul to 250ul and its single tip capability, the Agilent Bravo Liquid Handler is the instrument of choice to realize all your workflows in an easy to use, reliable and flexible manner. Let us take you on a fascinating journey into modern genomics lab automation.

Coffee Break and Networking in the Exhibition Hall

Understanding Cell Heterogeneity at Single-Cell Level
Anders Stahlberg, Senior Scientist, University of Gothenberg, Sweden

o Technical and biological aspects of single-cell gene expression profiling o Strategies to analyze single-cell data and identify unknown subpopulations o Single cell biology and interpretations

Single Cell Expression Profiling – Revealing Astrocyte Cell Subtypes by Correlation
Mikael Kubista, Professor/Founder, TATAA Biocenter AB, Sweden

In my talk I will describe single cell expression correlation as means to classify cell subtypes. The technique exploits the correlation between expression levels of transcripts involved in related key biological processes within individual cells. The technique is used to reveal subtypes of astrocytes.

Technology Spotlight:
Real-time PCR Innovations
Laura-Leena Kiiskinen, R&D Manager, Thermo Fisher Scientific

Thermo Scientific provides the modern researcher with a broad portfolio of innovative products for real-time PCR experiments. A few examples of recent reagent developments include protein engineering of enzymes utilized within reverse transcription and qPCR products to deliver performance improvements in gene-expression and SNP genotyping studies, as well as the introduction of a three colour preparation system to support error-free sample handling. Combined with industry-leading Thermo Scientific PCR and qPCR plastic consumables, these innovations deliver high quality real-time PCR experimental data with minimal protocol times.

Lunch and Networking in the Exhibition Hall

Free Workshop
Improving Your qPCR Results: A Systematic Approach to Understanding qPCR Detection
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Poster Viewing Session

HPV Strain Type Diagnosis by Sequencing qPCR Amplicons Via Hybridisation to Tiling Arrays
Philip Day, Reader, Manchester University, United Kingdom

Co-infections and genetic polymorphisms with papilloma viruses compromise precise strain type analyses, and therefore HPV qPCR amplicons were subjected to hybridisation to a tiling oligonucleotide array to improve detection including multiple strain typing.

Nucleic-Acid Based Applications in the Diagnostics of Highly Pathogenic Viruses
Andreas Nitsche, Head of the ZBS 1, Robert Koch Institute, Germany

The presentation describes the various approaches that can be considered for the unambiguous identification of highly pathogenic agents by PCR based techniques. Beside design strategies, questions of identification and sample preparation are discussed.

Coffee Break and Networking in the Exhibition Hall

Quantitative PCR Data Analysis with Efficiency Values Derived from Amplification Curves.
Jan Ruijter, Research Group Leader, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands

The presentation will describe the significance of the correct estimation of baseline fluorescence, the estimation of efficiency values from individual amplification curves for different monitoring chemistries and the effect of primer concentration on the amplification efficiency.

Visualizing High-Throughput qPCR Data: Novel Heatmaps, Scatter Matrices and 3D Plots
Andrej-Nikolai Spiess, Group Leader, University Hospital Hamburg Eppendorf, Germany

In the age of high-throughput data, specialized data visualization techniques are required to understand structures and tendencies in the data. In respect to qPCR technology, we have developed some plot types that reveal success/failure of qPCR runs.

Drinks Reception

Free Workshop
A User’s Experience: How to Work with Oncological Samples - From Difficult Starting Material Towards Reproducible qPCR Results
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miQPCR: A Novel Method to Profile microRNAs by Quantitative Real-Time PCR
Mirco Castoldi, Postdoctoral Fellow, The European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Germany

We describe a novel approach for the expression profiling of microRNA by quantitative real-time PCR, entitled miQPCR.

Coffee Break and Networking in the Exhibition Hall

microRNA Profiling Using Real-Time PCR in Laser-Microdissected Archival Specimens
Ulrich Lehmann, Head of the Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics, Hannover Medical School, Germany

Employing low density array-technology the micoRNA profile of healthy mammary epithelial cells was determined and compared to various molecular subtypes of human breast cancer. For this purpose pure cell populations were isolated from stained archival tissue sections using laser-assisted microdissection.

Allele Specific Taqman-Based Real-Time PCR Assay to Quantify Circulating BRAFV600E Mutated DNA in Plasma of Melanoma Patients
Pamela Pinzani, Technical Coordinator, University of Florence, Italy

BRAF is the most frequently mutated oncogene in melanoma with BRAFV600E mutation accounting for 92% of all BRAF variants. As this event occurs early in melanoma progression, the quantification of BRAF-mutated alleles in plasma may represent a useful biomarker for non-invasive diagnosis and prediction of response to therapy.

Technology Spotlight:
Size: Reduced. Fun: Amplified. The NEW LightCycler® Nano System
Michael Hoffmann, International Marketing Manager, Roche Diagnostics GmbH

Roche’s new LightCycler® Nano Real-Time PCR Instrument is ultracompact, featuring PC and Mac compatibility, cutting-edge thermal resolution and precise signal acquisition, for fast, accurate qPCR, genotyping and HRM analysis. It's easy setup and high performance will be presented.

Lunch and Networking in the Exhibition Hall

Free Workshop
Targeted Genome Editing and Epigenetic Modification in Eukaryotic Systems
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Poster Viewing Session

Profiling Cancer- and Pathway-Focused Mutations: Moving From Genotype to Phenotype
George Quellhorst, Product Manager, Qiagen Inc, United States of America

Correlating somatic mutations with treatment responsiveness has become an important companion diagnostic during cancer drug development. New qPCR technologies can now assist by easily and reliably screening for multiple mutations in targeted biological pathways in multiple samples.

Coffee Break and Networking in the Exhibition Hall

Methylation Sensitive - High Resolution Melting (MS-HRM)
Tomasz Wojdacz, Post Doc, University of Aarhus, Denmark

Methylation Sensitive High Resolution Melting protocol is a combination of HRM technology and new principles for PCR assay design. It allows for unbiased and semi-quantitative detection of methylated sequences with the sensitivity of 1-0.1%. This talk will focus on principles of the MS-HRM and its potential research and diagnostics applications.

qPCR Applications for Diagnostic DNA Methylation Marker Validation and Testing
Andreas Weinhaeusel, Senior Scientist, Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Austria

Methylation sensitive restriction enzyme based qPCR enables efficient biomarker detection and is capable for high-throughput validation of markers.

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