News

Revision of the General User Policy

The General User Policy of the ULS has been revised. Users and supervisors shall pay special attention to the new section 7, which lays out the updated equipment-specific safety policies and access arrangements.

Equipment Demonstration - Leica DMi8 Widefield and Live Cell Imaging Platform

The University Research Facility in Life Sciences (ULS) is holding a demonstration of the Leica DMi8 widefield and live cell imaging platform. The main features of the DMi8 system include: • Motorised stage – semi-automatic image stitching for large tissue sections, multi-well plate acquisition, 3D image reconstruction • DFC9000 GTC sCMOS camera – fast live cell imaging (90 fps at 2048×2048 resolution) • Adaptive focus control – maintaining the focus during time-lapse imaging • Multiple contrasting techniques – brightfield, phase contrast, differential interference contrast (DIC), polarised light If you are interested in the demonostration, please email Dr Michael Yuen (michael.yf.yuen@polyu.edu.hk) and provide your name, department, contact number and preferred session. Registrants will receive a confirmation email no later than 12 Dec 2017.

ULS technology seminar: Introduction to MassArray EpiTyper application of Agena Bioscience on quantitative DNA methylation analy

ULS is co-organizing a joint technology seminar with Agena Bioscience on the use of MassArray EpiTyper for quantitative DNA methylation analysis. Details of the seminar are as follows: Title: Introduction to MassArray EpiTyper application of Agena Bioscience on quantitative DNA methylation analysis Date: December 7, 2017 (Thursday) Time: 10:00 am – 11:00 am Venue: Y719, 7/F, Lee Shau Kee Building (Block Y), The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Speaker: Dr. Johannes Chi-yun CHING, PhD, Senior Scientist, Agena Bioscience For enquiries, please contact Ryan Chow (hoyin.chow@polyu.edu.hk or 3400 8057). All are welcome! Click here for poster

Visit by Prof. Aaron Ciechanover (Nobel Laureate in Chemistry)

ULS Technology Seminar - LNA GapmeR

ULS is co-organizing a joint technology seminar with Qiagen on the use of single-stranded LNA™-enhanced antisense oligonucleotides to knockdown RNA targets in vitro. Details of the seminar are as follows: Title: The evaluation of long non-coding RNA targets by antisense GapmeRs and the functional study of microRNA biomarkers by inhibitors and mimics Date: November 28, 2017 (Tuesday) Time: 10:30 am – 11:30 am Venue: Y716, 7/F, Lee Shau Kee Building (Block Y), The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Speaker: Dr. Michael Hansen (Exiqon Senior Scientist and Technical Specialist) Abstract: The single stranded LNA™-enhanced antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs, also known as LNA™ GapmeR), which catalyze RNase H dependent degradation of both mRNAs and lncRNA, have been demonstrated to show potent knockdown of multiple classes of RNA target in vitro irrespective of the type of RNA target and its subcellular localization. In an in vivo animal model, we further report highly efficient and long lasting knockdown of a nuclear retained lncRNA in a broad range of tissues in mice subjected to systemic administration of a LNA™ GapmeR. To design LNA™ GapmeRs, we have developed an empirically derived design algorithm to provide ASOs that achieve potent target knockdown with a high hit-rate. Recent publication and our own preliminary results indicate that unspliced primary transcripts are in fact the true targets of GapmeRs and therefore the design of LNA™ GapmeRs targeting introns is a valid and efficient approach to prevent production of mature spliced transcripts. However, these results have further implications for the design to avoid off-targets, which are a relevant concern for all antisense strategies and as well toxicity. To address potential off targets located in either exons or introns, our LNA™ GapmeR design algorithm searches both spliced and unspliced transcriptomes in the Ensembl database, to provide maximal target specificity. The functional analysis of LNA™ GapmeR in vitro and in vivo will be presented. Together with microRNA mimics and inhibitors and target site blockers, these LNA containing ASOs offer a unique set of tools for functional analysis of transcriptional regulation in human and other mammalian systems For enquiries, please contact Ryan Chow (hoyin.chow@polyu.edu.hk or 3400 8057). All are welcome! Click here for poster

Visit by Prof. Johann Deisenhofer (Nobel Laureate in Chemistry)

Seminar by Dr. Haim Barr (Weizmann Institute of Science)

ABCT-ULS Joint Seminar: Moving Towards a National Small Molecule Discovery Program - How to Not Get Lost in Translation

ABCT and ULS is co-organizing a joint seminar with Dr Haim M. Barr from the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel. Details are as follows: Date: 27th October, 2017 (Friday) Time: 2:30 to 3:30 pm Venue: Y817, Lee Shau Kee Building (Block Y) Speaker: Dr Haim M. Barr, Head, Maurice and Vivienne Wohl Institute for Drug Discovery, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Kindly refer to the attached poster for the abstract of the seminar and the biography of Dr Barr. Click here for poster

ULS Technology Seminar (Oct 25, 2017): Bio-Layer Interferometry

ULS is co-organizing a technology seminar with Pall Fortebio and Bio-Gene Technology Ltd. on the principle and applications of Bio-Layer Interferometry (BLI). BLI has emerged as the leading technology for label-free and real-time biomolecular interaction analysis (BIA). Unlike traditional BIA technologies such as SPR and ITC that are time-consuming and low in throughput, BLI’s microfluidics-free, microplate based sample analysis method allows fast and accurate binding affinity and kinetics (KD, ka and kd) measurements in challenging sample matrices such as culture supernatants and lysates. The Dip and Read™ nature of BLI enabled high-throughput biophysical analyses of interactions between a wide range of biomolecules including proteins, peptides, nucleic acids, small molecules and large complexes such as viruses and liposomes. BLI data is frequently published in top scientific journals, appearing in over 2000 papers in the last 10 years. In this presentation, we will discuss about how BLI has accelerated our users’ research in: • Antibody discovery & development • Protein structure and function • DNA-binding proteins • Infectious diseases • Small molecule drug discovery Details of the seminar are as follows: Title: Bio-Layer Interferometry: A leading label-free technology for biomolecular interaction analyses and high throughput screening Date: October 25, 2017 (Wednesday) Time: 11:00 am Venue: Y715, Lee Shau Kee Building (Core Y), The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Speaker: Mr. Terence Hui (Field Application Scientist Manager USA, Pall Fortebio) For enquiries, please contact Clara Hung (clara.hung@polyu.edu.hk or 3400 8056). All are welcome!

Laboratory Tours and Workshops from July to September, 2017