The Technology
RNA biomarkers are increasingly used for the early detection and monitoring of cancer, infectious diseases, and other disorders. However, current gold-standard methods such as RT-qPCR rely on extensive amplification and fluorescence-based detection, which can limit sensitivity, introduce amplification bias, and complicate the accurate quantification of low-abundance targets.
This technology enables direct digital quantification of RNA molecules using solid-state nanopore biosensors. The method combines targeted reverse transcription, minimal amplification, enzymatic sample cleanup, and single-molecule nanopore detection to identify and count specific RNA transcripts with exceptional sensitivity.
Unlike conventional RT-qPCR workflows, the platform preserves the relationship between the original RNA abundance and the detected signal by minimizing amplification requirements. Individual target molecules are identified based on their characteristic nanopore translocation signatures and analyzed using advanced statistical classification algorithms.
The technology supports multiplex detection of multiple RNA targets within a single sample and can be applied to mRNA expression profiling, viral RNA detection, and mutation analysis. Validation studies demonstrated substantially improved sensitivity compared with RT-qPCR and successful detection of clinically relevant cancer and infectious disease biomarkers.
Advantages
- Single-molecule digital RNA quantification
- Significantly higher sensitivity than RT-qPCR for low-abundance targets
- Minimal amplification reduces bias and false negatives
- Multiplex detection of multiple RNA biomarkers in a single assay
- Label-free analysis using solid-state nanopores
- Compatible with liquid biopsy and other minimally invasive samples
Applications and Opportunities
- Early disease detection and screening
- Liquid biopsy-based cancer diagnostics and monitoring
- Molecular diagnostics for infectious diseases
- Detection of cancer-associated mutations and biomarkers
- Gene expression analysis and translational research tools
- Next-generation point-of-care and portable diagnostic platforms
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