Agilent launches new tool to enhance integrity of genomics analysis

Agilent Technologies has augmented its Genomic DNA ScreenTape assay with a new DNA Integrity Number (DIN) software upgrade.

The tool, which can be used to assess the integrity of genomic DNA, is designed to ensure the quality of experiments, especially in next-generation sequencing (NGS) applications. 

With this new feature, the Agilent assay can now provide an objective measure of DNA integrity for a wide range of samples, which is crucial given the ever-larger NGS studies that researchers are conducting. DIN could also be useful as a tool for measuring archival quality at biobanks.

It builds on the success of Agilent's well-established RNA Integrity Number innovation for assessing the integrity of RNA, which has become a market-leading standard.

The company said: "The DIN is expected to play a key role in determining the quality of samples as they enter the NGS workflow. It will help researchers better define their genomic DNA samples, standardise their integrity assessment and potentially streamline their sequencing workflow."

Last month, the firm opened a new mass spectrometry centre of excellence on the campus of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, with the aim of helping to advance research and training in the field of metabolomics.