By Julia DiPinto, Hannah Appiah-Madson, and Dan Distel

We all know that researchers use DNA to search for hidden answers in living organisms. To do that, researchers must first ensure that their DNA samples are high quality before use. But how do they do this?  

Whether it’s discovering the cause of white-band disease in striped coral in the Vollmer lab, predicting the impact of climate change on black sea bass in the Gatins lab, or discovering how microbes create a more sustainable community in the Bowen lab, our scientists at the Marine Science Center (MSC) have used a TapeStation to streamline the process of DNA quality control. By measuring the size distribution of DNA strands, this device allows researchers to understand the integrity of their samples—an essential step for DNA sequencing and other molecular applications. But now, it is time for an upgrade. 

Thanks to a generous award from the Francis Goelet Charitable Lead Trust, the Ocean Genome Legacy (OGL) Center has been able to buy a new TapeStation for improved sample analysis. This upgrade will allow researchers at OGL and the Marine Science Center to efficiently continue our work in DNA analysis, a win for our scientific community. 

This grant, which coincides with OGL’s 20th anniversary, marks a moment of growth for our mission as a marine genome repository. We hope to continue encouraging scientific collaborations and student training with this purchase.  

Want to help students get high-quality data? Support OGL here.