World's First Handheld DNA Sequencer is Portable

September 3, 2014 — 

Researchers at the University of Otago in New Zealand have created the world's first brick-sized portable DNA sequencing machine. [Source: Headlines and Global News, August 28, 2014, By John Nassivera]

DNA sequencing is an important tool for finding and diagnosing the flu, E.coli and other viruses, but these tabletop-sized machines have been facing the problem of not being readily portable.

The machine, called Freedom4, can connect wirelessly to a smartphone and a laptop, and it comes with a six-hour battery life and the ability to process DNA samples in one step. It can find the presence and strength of different diseases, such as a norovirus infection, in less than an hour.

"This mobility could provide a great boon for farmers," said Dr. Jo-Ann Stanton, leader of the project. "For instance, vets could drive around a farm analyzing samples from various locations, make their diagnoses and treat infected animals- all in one trip."

Freedom4 was shown in tests to perform as well as full-size laboratory DNA sequencing machines when identifying and measuring the quantity of different diseases. Such diseases included E. coli and the H1N1 strain of swine flu, as well as other respiratory viruses.

Otago Innovation is currently collaborating with genome company Ubiquitome in order to make the device commercially available.