Operational Settings

1. User registration

All users need to be registered in the GeneCore database under a specific principal group. This group is assigned by GeneCore only upon request (please contact us). We require the following personal and professional details: name, business address, incl. phone number and email address; This information is used to create a principal user group and user accounts in the GeneCore registration system and is then stored for the duration of the interaction with GeneCore.

2. Sample submission

All samples must be registered in the GeneCore sample submission system before being shipped to GeneCore. If you send an unregistered sample, it will not be processed and will be stored until the service has been completed. You are expected to provide us with all relevant information relating to the samples, together with full details of any known hazards relating to them. For shipment to EMBL, please note the following additional instructions: samples must be clearly labeled and packed in a bag or in a sample box (no loose tubes please).

3. Processing policy

Samples are primarily processed in sequential order (first come first served). GeneCore staff may, if necessary and in rare circumstances, change the order in wich samples are processed (for instance, to fully use available sequencing capacity), or even reject sample processing completely.

4. Data delivery

Sequencing results are delivered to the user electronically in FASTQ format (and optionally alignments in BAM format) via IBM Aspera technology (fasp2 transfer protocol).

5. Data storage

Data are available for download for a maximum of 4 weeks. Afterwards, the data is deleted at GeneCore.  Data is archived for 10 years but users are fully responsible for proper management and long-term storage of their data.

6. Bioinformatics support

GeneCore Bioinformatics staff is primarily responsible for the sequencing data production and quality control. Further Bioinformatics data analysis consulting and support is only available upon request and should ideally be requested prior to sample submission.