While Agilent offers a growing list of catalogue arrays which extensively cover organisms which make up a large percent of research model organisms, their arrays will not meet the needs of all customers. For this reason they created eArray, an online tool which can be used to create arrays from existing probe sets or by uploading sequences.

This allows researchers to focus their studies on genes of interest or chromosome regions of interest rather than using a global array. It also allows researchers who work with other species to create an array based on an existing set of ESTs or gene sequences. This tool is free to use but a user account must be created.

eArray is designed to create a secure environment so that only the creators and the collaborators they designate can access the design. This means that the customer has the option of allowing members of UHNMAC to become a collaborator and order the arrays directly or the customer can keep the design private and simply have the arrays shipped.

Custom arrays can be designed for most platforms (the exception being the hairpin designed miRNA) and in many existing array formats. The costs for service remain the same as catalogue pricing as long as the UHNMAC is a collaborator on the design and can order the arrays. If the customer opts to keep the design private then they must order the arrays directly from Agilent (UHNMAC service charges will be adjusted as to not include the cost of the arrays).

For more information about custom arrays, visit the Agilent eArray webpage.