Balanced Experimental Designs for cDNA Microarray data

Two color or cDNA microarrays are extensively used to study relative expression levels of thousands of genes simultaneously. 0かy two tissue samples can be hybridized on a single microarray slide. Thus, a microarray slide necessarily forms an incomplete block design with block size two when more than two tissue samples are under study. We also need to control for variability in gene expression values due to the two dyes. Thus, red and green dyes form the second blocking factor in addition to slides. General design problem for these microarray experiments is discussed in this paper. Designs for factorial cDNA microarrays are also discussed.