Ming-Qing Du
Professor of Oncological Pathology
DEPARTMENT OF PATHOLOGY
UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
DIVISION OF MOLECULAR HISTOPATHOLOGY
Julie Johnstone
Deputy Administrator
Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland
2 CARLTON HOUSE TERRACE
LONDON
SW1Y 5AF
20 February 2014
Dear Julie
RE:
Fluidigm Access Array™ PCR System partially funded by the Open Scheme
We have purchased a Fluidigm Access Array PCR system jointly funded by the Addenbrooke’s
Charitable Trust and the Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. The system was
installed in our lab on 15 May 2012 and has been actively used by several research groups.
We have fully developed and optimised an experimental protocol for mutation detection using
DNA samples from formalin fixed paraffin embedded tumour tissues by combining Fluidigm PCR
with Illumina MiSeq sequencing. Using this protocol, we have investigated a large number of
genes for mutations in several lymphoma entities including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, MALT
lymphoma and splenic marginal zone lymphoma. This has enabled us to obtain a large amount of
mutation data, together with other in vitro functional studies, for several potential publications.
We are currently in process of preparation of several manuscripts and the Pathological Society will
be fully acknowledged in these manuscripts.
Using the same experimental protocol, we are also developing a clinical assay for screening
mutations that are valuable in prognosis and treatment stratification in solid tumours.
Once again, we would like to thank the Pathological Society for the timely support and will update
our research publication in due time.
Yours sincerely
Ming-Qing Du
Level 3 Lab Block, Box 231,
Addenbrookes Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 2QQ
Tel: 01223 767092 – Fax: 01223 586670– Email: [email protected]