Cambridge, UK: Syngene, a world-leading manufacturer of image analysis solutions, today announced its G:BOX iChemi XR imaging system is being used by scientists at the University of Cambridge to help unravel the molecular basis of sight. 

Researchers in the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience (PDN), at the University of Cambridge are using a G:BOX iChemi XR system to accurately analyse chemiluminescent Western blots labelled with ECL Plus^TM and also to image agarose gels containing DNA stained with SYBR Safe^TM. The information from the gels and blots is being used to understand the molecular mechanisms of phototransduction and retinal degeneration in fruit fly (Drosophila).  

The G:BOX iChemi XR system in the Department of PDN contains intelligent control software to allow the system, once set up, to be left unattended to automatically produce a perfect chemiluminescent blot image. The system is also fitted with an orange filter and blue lighting for precise detection of SYBR GOLD, SYBR Green stains and SYBR Safe.  

Dr Che-Hsiung Liu, a Research Associate in the Department of PDN stated: "By analysing mutant versions of genes involved in calcium and lipid signalling pathways we are beginning to understand the mechanisms of activation and regulation of the light-sensitive channels in the eye. The amounts of proteins that are up and down-regulated are often small and generate very weak chemiluminescent signal, therefore we have to have an imaging system that can detect these subtle changes. Additionally, we stain our DNA with SYBR Safe so that we can extract the DNA from the bands and we need an imager to detect these stains too. We reviewed four different types of imaging system and finally decided to install the G:BOX iChemi XR because it gave us the value of essentially having two systems in one."  

Laura Sullivan, Syngene's Divisional Manager concluded: "We are delighted to see our G:BOX iChemi XR contributing to such interesting research. The fact that scientists at one of the world's leading universities have compared so many image analysers and still believe our G:BOX iChemi XR outperforms them all, is a great testament to the unparalleled benefits this system offers both protein chemists and molecular biologists."

For further information, please visit www.syngene.com