Mass spectrometry has been an established technology in many chemical and biological laboratories for several decades now. ATLAS Biolabs uses a MassArray Analyzer Compact from Sequenom, applying MALDI-TOF (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization - time of flight) for the detection of nucleic acids. In contrast to many other technologies, the genetic target material is directly measured, which allows for precise and quantitative detection. Rare mutations can be discovered with unprecedented sensititivity.
Applications of MassArray technology comprise SNP genotyping, DNA methylation, gene expression analysis, and copy number analysis. MassArray technology is ideally suited to screen dozens to hundreds of analytes in hundreds to thousands of samples. By combining high throughput with a low-to-medium level of plexity, it is an ideal technology for the follow-up of whole genome studies and sequencing experiments.
