Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants

As nanometer-scale holes embedded in thin insulating membranes, nanopores provide a confined space withinwhich single molecules can be captured and electrically interrogated with high throughput. However commercialization of nanopore-based technologies for health science applications, including genomic analysis for clinical diagnostics, is faced by three technical challenges: (i) Specificity of the signal; (ii) Control of speed during biomolecular passage through the nanopore; and (iii) Fabrication of solid-state nanopores in a low-cost, scalable way that is compatible with manufacturing.Recently, an innovative technology has been developed in the Tabard-Cossa lab for the reliable fabrication of solid-state nanopores by controlled breakdown (CBD). The technology drastically reduces the cost of producing solid-state nanopore-based devices to the point that they become commercially viable for research and diagnostic applications. In this proposal, we seek to investigate how solid-state nanopores can be best configured so as to ultimately accurately detect and quantitate clinical targets.Together with our industrial partner and collaborators, we have identified key R&D questions so as to enable the use of CBD nanopore devices for diagnostic applications. During this 2-year project, our work will focus on advancing and establishing: - Multiplexed detection of nucleic acid targets using different tags;- Controlled passage speed of targets, critical to enhancing multiplexing and sensitivity;- Digital counting of clinical targets at low concentrations;- Quantification of event rates and readout limitations.