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Project Brief
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Tools For DNA Diagnostics (October 1994)

Development of Rapid DNA Medical Diagnostics

Develop an automated, rapid means for fully determining DNA sequency primarily for clinical diagnostics and biomedical research applications.

Sponsor: Sequenom (formerly Gene Trace Systems Inc.)

333 Ravenswood Ave., Mail Stop PS091
Menlo Park, CA 94025
  • Project Performance Period: 1/1/1995 - 12/31/1997
  • Total project (est.): $2,696,000.00
  • Requested ATP funds: $1,997,000.00

GeneTrace Systems, Inc., proposes to fully demonstrate the feasibility of a new benchtop DNA sequencing technology for commercial diagnostic applications, primarily in medicine. The success of the technology depends on a rapid means of simultaneously replicating many segments of a length of target DNA and then feeding those segments into a mass spectrometer where their masses can be measured with exquisite sensitivity. From the resulting data, the sequence of each segment and, therefore, the sequence of the entire target DNA molecules, can be reconstructed. The technique should be capable of sequencing DNA about 100 times faster than existing sequencing technologies at one-fiftieth the cost, with each machine capable of sequencing as many as 1,500,000 bases per day. Specific medical applications will include screening for cancer-related genetic mutations and for inherited genetic disorders, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and muscular dystrophy, as well as for detection of infectious agents.

For project information:
Dr. Christopher Becker, (415) 859-5130

ATP Project Manager
Lawrence Uhteg, (301) 975-8779
lawrence.uhteg@nist.gov

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