Avoiding design errors in microarray experiments

Here's another free review article, this time from Nature Reviews Genetics. It describes the design issues surrounding the use of cDNA microarrays for comparing gene expression in different samples. These microarray experiments are increasingly being used compare the biological effect of different treatments, identify disease subclasses, and understand the underlying differences in disease tissue vs. control tissue.

Covered in this article are topics such as why it's smart to hybridize samples (e.g., compare them both on the same slide instead of using different slides), and how many comparisons and of what type an experiment should include to optimize the chance of accurate results. You might want to take a look at this first the next time you read about an experiment involving microarrays -- you'll be able to judge for yourself how well the design was set up to address these issues and therefore how much faith to put in the results.