NGS Experimental Design & Protocols

Designing Your Experimental Protocol

These recommendations and best practices are designed to help you ensure the success of your next-generation sequencing (NGS) experiment. Review key considerations, such as calculating read length, estimating coverage, and measuring sequencing accuracy. Use our interactive tools to help you create an NGS protocol or select the right products and methods for your project.

Jump-Start Your NGS Experiment

Want to get started faster? Consult with experimental design experts through our Workflow Design and Evaluation Service.* We’ll help you design a workflow that’s right for you, process your samples, and generate your first NGS data set.

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Other NGS Experimental Considerations

Library Quantification
How to Achieve Consistent Quantitation Part 1

In NGS experiments, library quantification can affect the quality of your sequencing run.

How to Achieve Consistent Quantitation Part 2

Find tips and tricks for obtaining reliable, consistent quantitation.

Library Quality Control

Learn how to quantify and validate libraries for a successful sequencing run.

Sequencing Quality
Optimizing Cluster Density

The most common cause of over- and under-clustering is inaccurate library quantification.

Nucleotide Diversity

The presence of diverse or balanced libraries is important for generating high-quality sequencing data, especially in the first few cycles.

Quality Monitoring

PhiX is a concentrated Illumina library that can serve as a calibration control for NGS experiments.

Planning an Experimental Budget

Planning an Experimental Budget

As next-generation sequencing costs continue to decline, Illumina is leading the way in making NGS more affordable and accessible. With these resources, we’ll guide you through key factors to consider when planning your NGS budget.

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Create Your NGS Protocol

A fast, flexible, and mobile-friendly tool, our Custom Protocol Selector helps you generate next-generation sequencing protocols tailored to your experiment.

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Create Your NGS Protocol

Additional Resources

Experiment Planning Tools

Find interactive tools designed to help you choose the right methods and products for your needs.

How to Plan Your First NGS Experiment

Experimental considerations and workflow resources for your sequencing project.

Technical Bulletins

NGS experimental design tips and resources from our Technical Support team.

Online Training

View all our training courses or sign up for upcoming webinars.