“This technology will help to clear the fog that surrounds genetics research in the Columbia Basin,” said N. Kathryn Brigham, chair of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission. “Genetic uncertainties have long caused management frustrations for the basin. This technology is a prime example of the type of cutting-edge research that will allow tribal scientist to address those concerns in a timely manner.”

The technology was created by San Francisco based Fluidigm, a company that develops, manufactures and markets proprietary IFC systems for life science research. Tribal scientists have been using Fluidigm’s IFC EP1 technology since July as part of their genetics program.

“We are utilizing Fluidigm technology to characterize genetic variation in fish populations,” said Shawn Narum, lead geneticist for the tribes at CRITFC. “Genotypes from these SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) markers provide a genetic signature for specific populations that may also be used to identify unknown origin fish during migration or in fisheries harvest. This information can support fisheries management in the Columbia River basin; including several salmon stocks listed under the Endangered Species Act.”

Fluidigm’s EP1 system has a higher sensitivity than conventional laboratory systems and is quicker than traditional methods; generating between 27,000 and 200,000 or more genotypes in a day.

“The traditional life science equipment that we were using could only process 384 data points at a time,” said Narum. “The Fluidigm system gives us a 24-fold increase in production. Our efficiency has increased - processing 96 SNP markers with 96 salmon DNA samples at a time. That is 9,216 simultaneous reactions on a single chip in just four hours. This increased production means we can process more samples in a shorter time, potentially providing genetic information to inform real-time management decisions.”

“The Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission and its member tribes are sophisticated and assertive in their use of technology to comprehend changes in nature and how those changes impact the lives of tribal members,” said Gajus Worthington, president and chief executive officer of Fluidigm. “Balancing ecology, the tribal way of life and conservation is a challenge. We are most impressed with the way the tribes are employing advanced yet practical tools to understand and maintain their fish populations.”

CRITFC and its member tribes -- Yakama, Nez Perce, Umatilla and Warm Springs – implement salmon restoration plans and strategies through a comprehensive salmon life-cycle management approach that uses plans and strategies to address salmon recovery at every stage of the salmon’s life-cycle. The first-of-its-kind genetics research is an important facet of the conservation and recovery of salmon in the Columbia River basin.