Plant & Animal Genome Conference

January 9-14, 2026

San Diego, CA USA

Join us at PAG 2026 as we introduce the new SwiftArrayStudio Microarray Analyzer, the next-generation platform designed to advance microarray research and innovation across agrigenomics. 

 

The SwiftArrayStudio analyzer empowers scientists with reliability, precision, high-throughput, quick turnaround time, and scalability needed to transform complex genomic information into meaningful progress. It’s a leap forward for teams driving agricultural science toward a smarter future.

New SwiftArrayStudio Microarray Analyzer

What's happening at PAG 2026

Educational workshop

Accelerating innovation in agrigenomics: scalable and high-throughput genotyping solutions across species

Date: Monday, January 12
Time: 12:50–3 pm
Room: PACIFIC E

Advancing aquaculture genetics: scalable genotyping solutions for established and emerging species

Speaker: Dr. Maria Nayfa, Business Development Manager at Benchmark Genetics

 

Summary: Selective breeding is playing an increasingly central role in global aquaculture production, driving demand for technologies that support efficient and accurate genetic improvement. High-throughput genotyping using technologies such as microarray platforms are enabling critical applications: including, genomic and maker-assisted selection, parentage assignment, genetic diversity management, and more. These tools support data-driven breeding decisions that contribute to the development of healthier, more resilient animals with improved performance, advancing both productivity and long-term sustainability. SNP panels are now widely used to enhance selective breeding, offering precision and scalability across a wide range of species- from salmon to shellfish. At Benchmark Genetics, we have developed and implemented several species-specific and multi-species SNP arrays to support diverse breeding programs worldwide, as part of our broader genetic support services to the global aquaculture sector. Multi-species array designs offer a cost-effective approach to tool development by allowing multiple species to be included within a single array format. This reduces development costs while supporting species-specific applications. SNP panels offer reliable and informative genotyping over time, facilitating comparisons across generations and populations, and supporting the long-term integration of genomic data into breeding programs.

High-density, multi-purpose DNA array for domestic cats

Speaker: Dr. Leslie Lyons, Feline geneticists and Gilbreath-McLorn Endowed Professor of Comparative Medicine at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine

 

Summary: Many simple and complex disease and trait studies benefit from a prior localization of influential loci using genome-wide association studies (GWAS).  High density DNA arrays (~650K) are a common approach for a GWAS when whole genome or exome sequencing and imputation approaches are either not feasible.  A high density DNA array has been developed for domestic cats and is not commercially available.  Single nucleotide polymorphisms and small insertion/deletions were selected to be highly informative in worldwide cat populations and breeds, includes many known traits and disease loci, and variants that may be diagnostic for leopard cats and wildcats.  The International Society of Animal Genetics core variant panel for cat parentage is included as well as most of the variants used in cat population studies for ancestry and breed recognition.  The final design of the array and the preliminary studies will be presented.

Rapid, accurate and high throughput genotyping solutions for DNA profiling of feline and canine samples

Speaker: Stephen Jackson, Sr Staff Product Applications Scientist at Thermo Fisher Scientific

 

Summary: Companion animals, such as cats and dogs, play significant roles in human lives, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of their health. Advances in genotyping have facilitated the identification of deleterious alleles, which are crucial for breeding and veterinary care. Thermo Fisher Scientific has recently developed high-throughput genotyping solutions for feline and canine genome analysis. This study presents practical workflows for the collection and purification of DNA samples from companion animals. Utilizing these samples, we introduce the SwiftArray Assay for genotyping, which help deliver high-quality data within 30 hours. Furthermore, we demonstrate the concordance of this novel solution with previous versions of genotyping microarrays. Our findings indicate that companion animal breeders, veterinary practices, and direct-to-consumer genotyping companies can rapidly and accurately obtain genotypic information using this advanced technology.

Optimized dairy cattle evaluation using 100,000 markers on the high-throughput bovine genotyping array

Speaker: Ali Pirani, Sr Manager, Bioinformatics Microarray at Thermo Fisher Scientific

 

Summary: Genomic selection (GS) has become a key approach for improving dairy cattle productivity by genotyping thousands of SNP markers distributed across the genome. Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Applied Biosystems Axiom microarrays support this effort, including the Axiom Bovine Genotyping v3 Array with 44,000 markers approved by the CDCB and a newly developed 100,000-marker array that captures all 80,000 CDCB-relevant markers. This high-density array enables comprehensive genetic evaluation, covering economically important traits, parentage verification, and the monitoring of genetic issues such as inbreeding depression, ultimately advancing the efficiency of dairy cattle breeding programs.

Posters—discover the latest advancements from our teams

Optimized dairy cattle evaluation using 100,000 markers on the high-throughput Applied Biosystems Axiom Bovine Genotyping Array

Ali Pirani, Senior Manager, Bioinformatics Microarray, Thermo Fisher Scientific

 

Summary: Genomic selection (GS) has become a key approach for improving dairy cattle productivity by genotyping thousands of SNP markers distributed across the genome. Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Applied Biosystems Axiom microarrays support this effort, including the Axiom Bovine Genotyping v3 Array with 44,000 markers approved by the CDCB and a newly developed 100,000-marker array that captures all 80,000 CDCB-relevant markers. This high-density array enables comprehensive genetic evaluation, covering economically important traits, parentage verification, and the monitoring of genetic issues such as inbreeding depression, ultimately advancing the efficiency of dairy cattle breeding programs.

Rapid, accurate and high throughput genotyping solutions for DNA profiling of feline and canine samples

Stephen Jackson, Senior Staff Product Applications Scientist, Thermo Fisher Scientific

 

Summary: Companion animals, such as cats and dogs, play significant roles in human lives, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of their health. Advances in genotyping have facilitated the identification of deleterious alleles, which are crucial for breeding and veterinary care. Thermo Fisher Scientific has recently developed high-throughput genotyping solutions for feline and canine genome analysis. This study presents practical workflows for the collection and purification of DNA samples from companion animals. Utilizing these samples, we introduce the SwiftArray Assay for genotyping, which help deliver high-quality data within 30 hours. Furthermore, we demonstrate the concordance of this novel solution with previous versions of genotyping microarrays. Our findings indicate that companion animal breeders, veterinary practices, and direct-to-consumer genotyping companies can rapidly and accurately obtain genotypic information using this advanced technology.

Dry-Ready kits for assay development

Showcasing the Invitrogen Dry-Ready RT-qPCR and RT-LAMP kits which are designed for air-drying, enabling preparation, storage, and transport of complete assay mixes at room temperature without specialized equipment.

  • Fast processing—complete air-drying in as little as two hours
  • Proven stability—assays maintain full activity and sensitivity for at least 10 weeks at 50°C
  • Easy workflow—all-in-one kits with optimized enzymes, nucleotides, buffers, and excipients for quick preparation and drying

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.