MicroRNA detection on the cheap
Current methods of detecting microRNA (miRNA) — gene-regulating molecules implicated in the onset of various diseases — can be time-consuming and costly: The custom equipment used in such tests costs more than $100,000, and the limited throughput of these systems further hinders progress. Two MIT alumni are helping to rectify these issues through their fast-growing, Cambridge-headquartered startup, Firefly BioWorks Inc., which provides technology that allows for rapid miRNA detection in a large number of samples using standard lab equipment. This technology has helped the company thrive — and also has the potential to increase the body of research on miRNA, which could help lead to better disease diagnosis and screening. The company’s core technology, called Optical Liquid Stamping (OLS) — which was invented at MIT by Firefly co-founder and Chief Technical Officer Daniel C. Pregibon PhD ’08 — works by imprinting (or stamping) microparticle structures onto photosensitive fluids. The resulting...