Biospecimen Extraction Facility

The Biospecimen Extraction Facility (BEF) provides a centralized laboratory for standardized, high-quality DNA, RNA and protein extraction from blood, tissues, saliva, cells or other patient-derived biospecimens. Additional services include DNA gel electrophoresis, DNA/RNA quantitation, TapeStation DNA/RNA quality control, real-time PCR DNA quantitation and whole blood processing for lymphocytes and plasma. Our facility is used by both lab-based investigators who want fast turnaround time for standardized and high-quality extractions or whole blood processing and non-lab-based investigators (mainly clinicians) who are in great need of the service of sample processing. The high quality of DNA/RNA products is the foundation of downstream assays in genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics and next generation sequencing. We work very closely with the Advanced Technology Genomics Core (ATGC) and can submit extracted DNA/RNA samples directly to the ATGC across the hallway.

Getting Started

Contact Director Jian Gu, Ph.D., at 713-792-8016 or via email at jiangu@mdanderson.org for information about services, sample submission and chargebacks.

Consultation

We offer free consultations to our users throughout the sample processing.

Service Acknowledgment

This Core facility is partially funded by institutional support of MD Anderson Cancer Center. If publications use samples processed and data generated by the Core facility, please acknowledge the Biospecimen Extraction Facility of MD Anderson Cancer Center for sample processing and DNA/RNA/protein extraction in the acknowledgment section. Please send the citation of the publication acknowledging the Core facility to the Core Director via email: jiangu@mdanderson.org.