SIRS-Lab: Expert Service for Gene Expression Studies

After only five years, SIRS-Lab has successfully established itself as the commercial provider of gene expression studies. In this fast-paced field, SIRS-Lab counts on the know how of an interdisciplinary team which possesses more than one hundred man-years of expertises in biochip technology. The specific strengths of the company domiciled at the BioInstrumentation Centre in Jena, Germany, lie in the fields of biostatics and sample preparation. Furthermore, SIRS-Lab uses an Illumina® system, the currently most reliable pan-genomic microarray platform, and understands exactly the needs and thoughts of the clinical researcher.

The multifaceted range of services convinces renowned researcher groups in Germany and abroad. For example, the William Harvey Research Institute, London, has chosen SIRS-Lab as service partner for several gene expression studies. Professor Chris Thiemermann, Head of the Centre for Translational Medicine at the William Harvey Research (WHR) Institute and CEO of WHR Limited, emphasizes: "We are enthusiastic about SIRS-Labs professionalism in planning and performing biochip analyses as well as their long experience in the bio-statistical evaluation of highly complex multi-dimensional datasets". SIRS-Labs expertise also appealed to Dr. Didier Keh from the Charité Berlin. The analysis of several hundred individual samples within the HYPRESS study promoted by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research will allow for a better understanding of the impact of low dosed hydrocortisone in patients with severe infections.

SIRS-Lab offers its partners a range of comprehensive and flexible services at three different performance levels. At the 'Expression Level', the customers are supported on the individual planning of their gene expression studies and SIRS-Lab assumes sample preparation as well as performing the microarray experiments.

Furthermore, the 'Investigator Level' includes the quality control of the resulting gene activity patterns and their bio-statistical primary analysis. At the 'Publication Level,' the experimental results are subject to an extensive bio-statistical evaluation and are developed up to their publication in close cooperation with the customer.