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Services

Advanced Single Cell Service Oxford (ASSO)

The MRC WIMM Advanced Single Cell OMICs Facility aims to develop and provide single cell and spatial multiomics solutions for researchers from across industry and academia.

We provide an end-to-end package of Single-Cell, Bulk-Cell and Spatial Transcriptomics solutions, making use of the latest technology and transformative platforms to provide a variety of services to support your research.

Our services include: 

  • Isolation of cells and nuclei from fresh or frozen tissues; We also offer bespoke solutions for cells and nuclei isolation from difficult or novel tissue types.
  • Transcriptomics, genomics and epigenetics single-cell and bulk-cell solutions (e.g. single-cell droplet- & plate-based assays, bulk RNAseq, WES, WGS, ATAC and DNA methylation solutions). We use a range of automated platforms to optimise, generate and sequence your single-cell and bulk libraries.
  • Spatial transcriptomics (10x Xenium, 10x CytAssist for Visium HD & Merscope (Vizgen)). We work with the most versatile solutions for your spatial transcriptomics needs.

See below for more information about each of our services. Detailed information about the equipment used for each service can be found here.

Single Cell Transcriptomics (droplet-based)

We have a range of high-throughput droplet-based systems, such as 10x Chromium X and BD Rhapsody HT.

These systems allow the capturing, barcoding and profiling of thousands of individual cells or nuclei in parallel.

We run a large number of complementary assays to profile transcriptomes (single-cell RNA sequencing or single-nucleus RNA sequencing) in combination with other readouts, such as chromatin accessibility (single cell ATAC) and/or antibody-based analysis of protein surface markers (single-cell immune profiling; TCR & BCR).

Single Cell - Genomics & Proteomics (droplet-based)

We use the Tapestri (Mission Bio) platform to analyse genotype and phenotype simultaneously from thousands of single cells.

This is a single-cell multiomics solution to simultaneously detect SNVs, CNVs and cell-surface proteins at the single-cell level.

Single Cell Transcriptomics (plate-based)

We offer several plate-based solutions (96-and 384-well plate format through automated workflows) to profile rare cell populations, detect low abundant full-length transcripts and identify cancer-driven mutations. 

These include Smart-seq3, Flash-seq and Target-seq (developed in-house). Target-seq has been developed to profile full-length transcriptomes and to call mutations on the RNA and the DNA level, enabling the detection of mutations in silent alleles.

In addition, we offer a recently developed in-house GTAC method.

Spatial Transcriptomics & Proteomics

The facility is equipped with three state-of-the-art platforms for spatial transcriptomics:

10x Xenium (10x Genomics)

Xenium is a high-resolution, imaging-based in situ spatial profiling technology that allows for simultaneous expression analysis of RNA targets (currently in the range of 100’s) within the same tissue section. This assay can identify the location of target transcripts within the tissue, providing a single-cell resolution map of expression patterns of all genes included in the selected probe panel.

Merscope (Vizgen)

MERSCOPE uses MERFISH (Multiplexed Error Robust Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization) technology to directly map and quantify the spatial distribution of hundreds to tens of thousands of RNA species in individual cells, without the need for downstream sequencing. Ready-to-go and Custom Panels are available to study up to 1000 genes on both FF and FFPE tissue types.

10x CytAssist for Visium HD (10x Genomics)

Pair powerful whole transcriptome spatial gene expression with single-cell–scale resolution to discover the unique biology in every micron of tissue. Visium HD Spatial Gene Expression slides contain two 6.5 x 6.5 mm Capture Areas with a continuous lawn of oligonucleotides arrayed in millions of 2 x 2 µm barcoded squares without gaps, achieving single–cell–scale spatial resolution. 

Automated Solutions (Transcriptomics)

All our single-cell library prep methods and workflows, including the 10x 3’, 10x 5’, TCR, BCR, CITEseq, and multiome assays have been designed, automated and validated on our automated and semi-automated platforms. The same is true for our plate-based assays, such as Smart-seq3, TargetSeq2 and GTAC.

The run of these assays includes a lysis and RT steps performed in a controlled environment or clean rooms, with the use of a Mantis liquid dispenser (Formulatrix) and the Viaflow 96/384 electronic pipettes (Integra Biosciences).

Library preparation is carried out in a PostPCR environment and uses an array of platforms, including the Biomek FXp (Beckman), the Mosquito (SPT Labtech), and a Mantis (Formulatrix).

Bespoke solutions can be designed and automated around your specific request.

Bulk Transcriptomics, Genomics & Epigenetics

We use Roche, NEB and Active Motif solutions for our bulk transcriptomics, genomics and epigenetics solutions.

Some of these include: