PCR machine recommendations

[Michael L. Sullivan]

I'm not sure, but one may have to say "thermal cycler" instead of PCR 
machine!  The last lab I worked in had the MJ tetrad, which worked 
really nicely.  The programming was easier too than the old MJ 
minicycler we had.

Something else to consider from MJ is to get multiple minicyclers 
(I'm not sure if these are easier to program than they were a few 
years ago).  I don't recall, but when I had looked into it a few 
months ago, I thought maybe it would cost the same or less to buy 4 
minicylers (with "hot bonnets") instead of 1 DYAD with dual moduals. 
Plus, with independent mini's, if something happened to 1 machine, 
you'd only lose that part of your capacity.  With a DYAD or tetrad, a 
problem with the machine might seriously effect the labs thermal 
cycling capacity.

We also have a PE 9700.  It is a nice machine, and programming is 
ultra simple.  However, PE models do seem to be more expensive than 
competing models.

Mike

>We're really happy with the DYAD dual block cycler from MJ Research. 
>It has independently programmable blocks, each of which runs a 
>gradient (we find the gradient stable and reproduceable). It's not 
>cheap, granted, but it is good.
>
>Mark

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Michael L. Sullivan, 
Ph.D                                                            
U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center
1925 Linden Drive West
Madison WI, 53706

(608) 264-5144 Phone
(608) 264-5147 Fax

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