'Breakthrough' reported for clinical laboratory IT solutions for DNA analysis

Clinical laboratory IT solutions for DNA analysis have taken a step forward with the announcement of a move towards lab-on-chip options.

The Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre (IMEC), headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, has been working with Panasonic on a microfluidic device capable of detecting single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).

SNPs consist of a replacement in a DNA sequence of just one nucleotide, but can lead to varied responses both to invading pathogens and to medicines, IMEC says.

By creating compact clinical laboratory IT solutions, the size of blood samples required may be reduced and the processing time similarly cut, the organisations hope.

The unit consists of a high-pressure pump which operates at low voltages to carry blood into a filter array containing micro-pillars of silicon.

Sensors incorporated into the device also include a miniaturised electrochemical SNP detection process and a unit to extract DNA for polymerase chain reactions using temperature sensors and heat.