Among the main services offered, next-generation sequencing (NGS) stands out, enabling the analysis of exomes, transcriptomes, and epigenomes, as well as single-cell studies and spatial transcriptomics. In addition, the platform provides genotyping techniques, the analysis of genetic variations (SNPs, CNVs), and their validation by qPCR.
The launch of the platform was led by IDIBAPS researchers (that later were directors of the institution) Ramon Gomis and Elías Campo. “It was the era of the microarray revolution; for the first time, thousands of genes could be studied simultaneously in a single sample,” recalls Magda Pinyol, head of the Platform.
Over the years, microarrays became largely residual, and the main activity of the platform was high-throughput sequencing (NGS), which enabled RNA sequencing and provided a more precise and quantitative view of gene expression. Subsequently, the single-cell era arrived, opening up the possibility of studying gene expression in each individual cell. Technological evolution continued, fully embracing the field of spatial biology, incorporating spatial dimension into the study of gene expression and allowing us to understand not only what happens within each cell, but also where it happens.
Nowadays, the Functional Genomics Core Facility is formed by seven people and occupies 200 square meters on the -1 floor of the CEK. It provides services to around 40 research groups at IDIBAPS, participates in 90 internal research projects, and provides services to 13 projects from other institutions. You can find all information about its equipment, the services it offers, and its fees in its section on the website.
