Molecular Technology and Genomics Core

The Molecular Technology and Genomics Core provides comprehensive molecular and genomic services—from nucleic acid extraction through next-generation sequencing and data analysis—to advance transfusion medicine, infectious disease biology, genomic epidemiology, host genetics, and precision medicine. We support VRI investigators and external collaborators through expert consultation, validated workflows, and cost-effective solutions. We integrate state-of-the-art platforms with robust assay validation and quality assurance protocols to enable translational research that advances blood safety and public health outcomes.

We offer nucleic acid extraction from different biospecimens, with quality assessment via NanoDrop, Qubit, Bioanalyzer, and Agilent Tapestation instrumentation. Our molecular capabilities span real-time and digital PCR for pathogen detection and host genetics profiling, automated target capture and transcription-mediated amplification on Hologic and Grifols Panther platforms for ultrasensitive quantification, and next-generation sequencing on Illumina and Oxford Nanopore systems.

We have expertise in transfusion-transmitted infection characterization, including molecular detection of Plasmodium, Trypanosoma cruzi, Babesia, and blood-borne viruses. Our arbovirus surveillance capabilities encompass emerging threats such as Zika, dengue, chikungunya, West Nile, and Oropouche viruses. For HIV research, we provide validated ultrasensitive residual viremia quantification for HIV cure and reservoir studies.

Our sequencing services support viral surveillance, outbreak investigation, and pathogen discovery through shotgun metagenomic approaches, as well as target enrichment strategies including tiled multiplex PCR, hybridization capture, and long-range amplification.

pmilani@vitalant.org

Pamela Milani is the lead of MTGC. Dr. Milani is dedicated to advancing molecular technologies and their applications in research and clinical settings. Throughout her career, she has specialized in developing and validating genomic, transcriptomic and epigenomic methods based on Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), as well as non-NGS molecular assays such as quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and digital PCR. Before joining VRI, Dr. Milani led the genomic biomarker group at Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), where she directed the adaptation, optimization and execution of genomic assays including multi-modal single cell sequencing, spatial transcriptomics and targeted NGS. She also developed multiplex digital PCR assays for variant detection and qPCR for oncovirus testing. Before BMS, she served as Senior Manager at Personalis, Inc., where she worked on launching novel genomic platforms for diagnostic applications and multidimensional biomarker identification. She completed her post-doctoral training in biological engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where she gained expertise in epigenomics, functional genomics and systems biology.

Lani Montalvo

Senior Research Associate
Daniel Chafets

Research Associate III

Molecular Technology and Genomics Services

Nucleic Acid Extraction and Quality Control

High-throughput isolation from diverse specimens including blood, plasma, tissues, and cell fractions. Comprehensive quality assessment with Agilent Tapestation and Bioanalyzer, NanoDrop spectrophotometry, and Qubit fluorometric quantification.

Real-Time and Digital PCR

Custom assay development for pathogen detection, host genetics profiling, and absolute quantification including HIV proviral DNA measurement, mitochondrial DNA and SNP genotyping panels.

Automated Molecular Testing

High-throughput pathogen detection via transcription-mediated amplification on Hologic and Grifols Panther platforms, featuring ultrasensitive HIV viremia quantification validated for cure and reservoir studies.

Next-Generation Sequencing

Genomic profiling workflows utilizing tiled multiplex PCR, hybridization capture, long-range amplification, and metagenomic approaches for viral surveillance research, outbreak investigation, and pathogen discovery.

Specialized Expertise

Design, development and validation of molecular and sequencing assays for transfusion-transmitted pathogens including Plasmodium, Trypanosoma cruzi, Babesia, arboviruses (Zika, dengue, chikungunya, West Nile, Oropouche viruses), HIV, HCV, HBV and parvovirus B19.

Research Interest

Our research focuses on advancing molecular viral detection methods for blood safety and infectious disease control. We specialize in ultrasensitive detection methods for HIV cure research and latent reservoir quantification, whole-genome sequencing for viral surveillance and outbreak response, rapid molecular assay development for emerging viruses, and host genetic profiling for precision medicine applications. Our innovation pipeline continuously develops next-generation molecular workflows that advance transfusion medicine and virology and inform public health practice.