Hi all,

Good news: the new 48 capillary sequence analyzer is being installed during this week!

Next week on Tuesday Jussi Vanhatalo from Applied Biosystems will give an introductory course so that we can get started with running microsatellites, sequences and AFLPs. When we have some experience, there will be another course (probably mid September). On Tuesday at 9.30 there will be a gettogether in room YB211 and Jussi will give some information about major things that change (e.g. some changes in chemistry) and fitting the old and new data. Everybody can come there. Then only a couple of people are able to participate later in the day in the practical demonstrations on running the machine and using the software.

These persons (Johanna Leppälä (tel. 1795), Laura Kvist (1802), Sami Sivula (tel. 044-5390979) and Hannele Parkkinen (1779) will share their knowledge with others, so you can ask one of them to show you how to do the samples and how to analyze them with the new software. If an AFLP person wants to attend next Tuesday the practical part we can try to fit one more person.

Everybody is wellcome to the longer (two days?) course in September (probably weeks 37-38). If you want to attend and know some days in September when you are away, please inform me by e-mail, so we can try to avoid those days.

The old sequencing machine will be in use until the end of January, then it will go back to the Applied Biosystems together with the MAC computer that has been used for running the machine. The newer MAC will stay here also after that.

We will be getting a special offer from the Applied Biosystems for consumables and chemicals at the first order after purchasing the sequencing machine: some things are cheaper than normally. This offer is due only once (a single order). We could aim to do a joint order e.g. during the week 34. I will try to get an updated offer from Applied Biosystems soon.

Regards, Helmi

Helmi Kuittinen

Oulun yliopisto University of Oulu Biologian laitos Department of Biology PL 3000 P.O.Box 3000, 90014 University of Oulu 90014 Oulun yliopisto Finland

email: Helmi.Kuittinen@oulu.fi tel. 358-(0)8-553 1803 fax 358-(0)8-553 1061