Nucleic Acids Sequencing Core

GENETICS AND GENOMICS CORE FACILITY (WestCore) OF SD BRIN (RESEARCH)
Summary/Abstract
SD BRIN has made significant strides in building critical infrastructure to meet the needs of
biomedical researchers in South Dakota. From 2004 to 2018 SD BRIN’s Genetics & Genomics Cores were
separate, complementary cores. The Genomics Core at USD focused on microarray and qPCR services,
and the Genetics core (WestCore) at BHSU focused on sequencing and genotyping services. In response
to investigator requests for NextGeneration sequencing services, WestCore secured a SD Board of
Regents Performance Improvement grant to purchase a NextGen sequencing platform, an Illumina
MiSeq. The addition of this technology has opened the doors for SD BRIN researchers to address genetic
questions that were nearly impossible to pursue prior to the advent of massively parallel sequencing
platforms. SD BRIN’s primary goal relating to the Genetics and Genomics Core is to provide assistance
for the maintenance of genetic and genomics related services to support SD BRIN investigators at
participating institutions, as well as other researchers, throughout the state. Many of the research
projects conducted by SD BRIN faculty and students network-wide rely on the information gained from
DNA sequencing, genotyping and quantitative PCR (qPCR). To meet the research and student training
needs for access to nucleic acid sequencing, genotyping and qPCR technology.

Grant Number: 3P20GM103443-23S1
NIH Institute/Center: NIH
Principal Investigator: Cynthia Anderson