This resource is a compilation of all references for running our lab instrumentation. These protocols are the primary resource for our lab personell, affiliates, interns and students.

For a high-level introduction to the lab and its instrumentation, instead refer to the lab.

Before entering the lab you must first sign in and learn about our general protocols. These are covered in-depth in our course BIOSC 32: Good Laboratory Practices. This will cover general contamination, along with proper practices involving gloves, laboratory notebooks, pippettes and other laboratory equipment.

Good lab practices must be observed whenever you are in the lab. We wear gloves not only to protect ourselves from reagents, but also to protect the samples from ourselves.

Contamination is crucial in the genomics lab, as even one small piece of errant DNA can be amplified tens of billions of times. You must watch what walls and surfaces you touch when ungloved, as you can contaminate them with your own DNA.

At all times you must be aware of contamination. Even when pulling gloves from the shelves, contamination is an issue. Always be mindful of how you handle gloves; only pick them up and put them on while touching the heel of the glove. If you are gloved and touch your pocket or check your cellphone, your gloves will pick up DNA from the surfaces and become contaminated. If you are ever unsure, replace your gloves.

When doing any experiments in the lab, at least one member of the group must maintain a laboratory notebook, recording every action and all results. Do not erase anything in your laboratory notebook. If you make a mistake, cross out the mistake with a single line so it is still legible. This allows us to reference the laboratory notebook if our results are not what we expected, to try and determine a cause.

Pippettes must only be touched with gloved hands. Learning proper volume adjustment of P1000, P200 and P20 along with which tips belong to them is necessary. For the P1000, never adjust beyond 1000μL [100 on the meter], for the P200 never adjust beyond 200μL [200 on the meter] and for the P20 never adjust beyond 20μL [20.0 on the meter]. Use the appropriate tool for the job: for dosing out 15μL, use the P20 instead of the P200 as it will be more precise. Never hold the pippette upside down, as it can contaminate the inside. When pulling in solution, do not release too fast or the solution can turn into aerosol and contaminate the inside. Always change your tips between every pippetting job.