In an effort to build a nanoscale DNA sequencer, IBM (NYSE: IBM) scientists are drilling nano-sized holes in computer-like chips and passing DNA strands through them in order to read the information contained within their genetic code.
This advanced research effort to demonstrate a silicon-based "DNA Transistor" could help pave the way to read human DNA easily and quickly, generating advancements in health condition diagnosis and treatment. The challenge in the effort is to slow and control the motion of the DNA through the hole so the reader can accurately decode what is in the DNA. If successful, the project could improve throughput and reduce cost to achieve the vision of personalized genome analysis at a cost of $100 to $1,000. In comparison, the first sequencing ever done by the Human Genome Project (HGP) cost nearly $3 billion.
Having access to an individual's personal genetic code could advance personalized medicine by using genomic and molecular data to facilitate the discovery and clinical testing of new products, and help determine a person's predisposition to a particular disease or condition.
A team of IBM scientists from four fields - nanofabrication, microelectronics, physics and biology -- are converging to master the technique that threads a long DNA molecule through a three nanometer wide hole, known as a nanopore, in a silicon chip. A nanometer is one one-billionth of a meter or about 100,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair. As the molecule is passed through the nanopore, it is ratcheted one unit of DNA at a time, as an electrical sensor "reads" the DNA. This sensor that identifies the genetic information is the subject of intense ongoing research. The information gathered from the reader could be used to gain a better understanding of an individual's medical makeup to help further the pursuit of personalized healthcare.
"The technologies that make reading DNA fast, cheap and widely available have the potential to revolutionize bio-medical research and herald an era of personalized medicine," said IBM Research Scientist Gustavo Stolovitzky. "Ultimately, it could improve the quality of medical care by identifying patients who will gain the greatest benefit from a particular medicine and those who are most at risk of adverse reaction."
IBM Research is working to optimize a process for controlling the rate at which a DNA strand moves through a nano-scale aperture on a thin membrane during analysis for DNA sequencing. While scientists around the world have been working on using nanopore technology to read DNA, nobody has been able to figure out how to have complete control of a DNA strand as it travels through the nanopore. Slowing the speed is critical to being able to read the DNA strand. IBM scientists believe they have a unique approach that could tackle this challenge.