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Fly Facility

Department of Genetics
 

Important information about our service - Please read

  • All you need to know: Go here for detailed information about our microinjection service (including sample shipment and payment).
  • Sample preparation: Sample quality is the major factor that determines the success or failure of microinjection work. Please read our guidelines for sample preparation before sending your samples for microinjection.
  • Microinjection request form:Find our Microinjection Request form here
  • Injection-only requests from outside the UK: We no longer accept injection-only requests (e.g. Plans 1, 4, 6, 8) from outside the UK. This is because we are uncertain whether shipping from the UK to the EU will be efficient enough to ensure the viability of injected larvae.
  • Free repeat injections: Our offer of a free injection only applies to repeats of the original injection with, perhaps, minor modifications (freshly prepared sample, change of host stock etc.). It is not a credit for future injection requests.
  • VAT payments: Our microinjection service does not qualify for medical VAT-exemption. All Purchase Orders covering microinjection requests from research groups in the UK (outside of Cambridge University) must include VAT at 20%.
  • Microinjection service enquiries: Please direct enquiries to flyinject@gen.cam.ac.uk, this address reaches Alla Madich (Microinjection Technician), Simon Williams (Microinjection Technician), Glynnis Johnson (Senior Research Technician) and Simon Collier (Fly Facility Manager).

 

P-element / piggyBac transformation

Plan 1

Inject 200 embryos - provide surviving larvae

£130 ex VAT

£156 inc VAT

Plan 2

Inject 200 embryos – provide unbalanced G2 transformants. Plan 2 takes at least 4 weeks from injection to completion

£180 ex VAT

£216 inc VAT

Plan 3

Inject 200 embryos – provide balanced lines. Plan 3 takes at least 8 weeks from injection to completion

£250 ex VAT

£300 inc VAT

  • For Plans 1-3, we will inject into white1118 embryos unless you request otherwise.
  • For Plans 2 and 3, we will provide a minimum of 5 independent transgenic lines, unless your insert is large (i.e. more than 13kb). If we fail to generate 5 or more independent lines, we will offer you the option of a repeat injection at no additional cost. 
  • Plan 1 is injection only, we do not normally offer a free repeat if no transformants are obtained.

 

phiC31 integrase-mediated transgenesis

Plan 4

Inject 200 phiC31; attP embryos - provide surviving larvae

£130 ex VAT

£156 inc VAT

Plan 5

Inject 200 phiC31; attP embryos – provide balanced lines (integrase removed). Plan 5 takes at least 6 weeks from injection to completion

£210 ex VAT

£252 inc VAT

 

MiMIC RMCE

Plan 6

Inject 200 MiMIC embryos - provide surviving larvae

£130 ex VAT

£156 inc VAT

Plan 7

Inject 200 MiMIC embryos – provide balanced lines. Plan 7 takes at least 6 weeks from injection to completion

£210 ex VAT

£252 inc VAT

  • For Plan 7, we will provide five independent transformant lines, unless your insert is large (i.e. more than 13kb). Additional lines may be available on request. If we fail to generate five transformant lines, we will offer you the option of a repeat injection at no additional cost. 
  • Plan 6 is injection only, we do not normally offer a free repeat if no transformants are obtained.

 

CRISPR / TALEN genome engineering

Plan 8

Inject 200 embryos - provide surviving larvae

£130 ex VAT

£156 inc VAT

Plan 9

Inject 200 embryos - perform screening and/or balancing as negotiated.

Variable

 

Other Microinjection Work

We can provide other embryo injections services on request including (but not limited to):

  • Transformation of other (non-melanogaster) Drosophila species
  • Injection of constructs for transient somatic expression 
  • Injection of drugs, inhibitors etc. 
  • Transfer and injection of Wolbachia (or other) infectious agents

Prices for these services will depend upon the nature of the work, please contact for more information.

 

Term and Conditions

Term and Conditions for our Microinjection work are here.

Contact Information

Tiny fly

E-mail contacts

Simon Collier (Fly Facility Manager): s.collier@gen.cam.ac.uk

General Fly Facility enquiries: flyadmin@gen.cam.ac.uk

Microinjection enquiries: flyinject@gen.cam.ac.uk

Fly food enquiries: flymedia@gen.cam.ac.uk

Stock collection requests and enquiries:

Address

Department of Genetics,
University of Cambridge, Downing Street,
Cambridge CB2 3EH,
United Kingdom

Phone: +44 (0)1223 765124
Fax: +44 (0)1223 333992

 

The Fly Facility webpages are maintained by Simon Collier. Please contact me ) if you have any problems using the site.