Sample Submission Guidelines
Research Samples
Please submit an online Project Inquiry and a Sample Submission Form. Samples will only be accepted after both forms have been completed.
Clinical Samples
Please fill out the appropriate clinical requisition form below and attach to the samples when submitting. The requisition form can be faxed to: 412-361-1796.
COVID-19 Samples
UGC is now accepting COVID-19 samples for research purposes. Please contact us for more details and reference our collection and delivery guidelines for COVID-19 samples.
Questions
Contact us via email Genome_Center@upmc.edu or via phone at 412-623-7155 to schedule a meeting.
Submission Instructions
1. Sample Type
We accept premade libraries, purified DNA/RNA for library preparation, or fresh frozen tissues/cells, blood or saliva for DNA/RNA extraction. Once sequencing is complete, we can provide bioinformatics analysis as requested.A. Whole Blood
A minimum of 3 mL whole blood in EDTA or ACD tubes (heparin is not desired, please confer with the laboratory prior to submission), ship with cold not frozen gel-pack to minimize heat damage. If your sample amount should be limited for any reason, you may submit a reduced sample volume. Please contact us for discussing available options. DO NOT FREEZE. Submission of specimens older than 72 hours may not acceptable and may be rejected.
B. Saliva
Saliva or buccal wash with preservative shipped at ambient temperature with cold, not frozen, gel-pack if temperature along transit route is anticipated to be above 75°F.
C. FFPE
Slides or FFPE blocks should be shipped with frozen gel-pack if temperature along transit route is anticipated to be above 75°F.
D. Cell Pellets
Cell pellets purified by Ficoll gradient or differential lysis are preferred. They may be suspended in PBS or RPMI and shipped with cold, not frozen, gel-pack if temperature along transit route is anticipated to be above 75°F. Frozen cell pellets either dry or in freezing media ship frozen on dry ice. Please note the type of media on the requisition.
E. Purified DNA/RNA Samples for Library Preparation Requirement
Please submit samples in tubes provided from us (you can pick them up when you’re ready to submit) as they are used with our laboratory robotics to process the samples. Or use 1.5 ml Lo-bind microfuge tubes. Each tube must be clearly labeled numerically (1, 2, 3, etc.) followed by the sample name (ie. 1-AB10001). Tubes should be submitted in order as listed on the submission form (left to right, up to bottom, not randomly placed, and not loose/unracked) on any type of box/rack designed to hold the tubes. Sample quantification is required prior to submission. Samples should be dissolved in EDTA-free solution such as nuclease-free water or 10 mM Tris-Cl (pH 8.5). Extracted RNA must be shipped frozen on dry ice.
NOTE: Concentrations determined by absorbance-based method such as NanoDrop are very unreliable. Please quantify the DNA and RNA concentrations using fluorescence-based method such as Qubit or PicoGreen. If you cannot do fluorometry, please send us 2X the minimum amount that NanoDrop determines. We typically request more sample amount than we need to allow for any repeats that we may need to perform. If your sample amount should be limited for any reason, you may submit a reduced sample volume. Please contact us for discussing available options.
Sequencing Type
Sequencing Type | Minimum Quantity | Minimum Volume | Quality | Minimum Concentration |
---|---|---|---|---|
WGS | 2 µg | 110 µL | >15 ng/µL | |
WES | 2 µg | 110 µL | >15 ng/µL | |
Total RNA-Seq | 500 ng | 50 µL | RIN>7 | 10 ng/µL |
mRNA-Seq | 1 µg | 50 µL | RIN>8 | >20 ng/µL |
F. Prepared Libraries Requirement
Please submit samples in tubes provided from us (you can pick them up when you’re ready to submit) as they are used with our laboratory robotics to process the samples. Or use 1.5 ml Lo-bind microfuge tubes. Each tube must be clearly labeled numerically (1, 2, 3, etc.) followed by the sample name (ie. 1-AB10001). Tubes should be submitted in order as listed on the submission form (left to right, up to bottom, not randomly placed, and not loose/unracked) on any type of box/rack designed to hold the tubes. Sample quantification is required prior to submission. Samples should be dissolved in EDTA-free solution such as nuclease-free water or 10 mM Tris-Cl (pH 8.5). Extracted RNA must be shipped frozen on dry ice.Please bring us undiluted libraries. We’ll do QC (Fragment Analyzer and qPCR) on all the libraries you brought, and dilute and denature them according to Illumina’s prototol. We do NOT guarantee cluster yield or quality for libraries prepared outside of the Genome Center, but we are happy to answer any questions you have regarding library preparation.
NOTE: Before making your libraries, please make sure your barcodes are compatible with Illumina Standards.
2. Sample Submission
For research projects, please confirm your sample arrival date and time by email at least 48 hours ahead, to make sure that your samples will be received and stored properly.
Schedule your drop-off
Please call 412-623-7155 or email us to schedule a time to drop off your samples. Fax: 412-361-1796.
Drop-off and shipping address
Please review the FedEx holiday schedule to make sure that your samples will be delivered without delay.
UPMC Genome Center
5560 Centre Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15232
Drop-off hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
MedSpeed address
If you’re using MedSpeed Courier, search Hoechstetter or our ID 172530, and it should pop up.
Hoechstetter Bldg-Genomics
5560 Centre Avenue
Suite: 2 FL
Pittsburgh, PA 15232
ID: 172530