Nanopore

DNA consists of the so-called nucleotides, which determine the physical structure (blueprint) of every living being. ONT has developed a method to quickly read the code of the DNA. A single strand of DNA (ssDNA) is passed through a tiny hole called a "pore". As it passes through, the voltage at this pore is changed. The change in this voltage is specific to each of the nucleotides, making the sequence recognizable.

This technique is so robust that DNA sequencing no longer needs to be performed only in the laboratory. Today, nanopore sequencers are even in use in Antarctica. Strapped on by researchers looking for microbial communities – in other words, in one of the most inhospitable areas of our planet. And this technology has also been successfully used on the International Space Station to extract RNA molecules!

The device fits in one hand and costs a little more than the latest iPhone. This Nanopore sequencer is capable of producing 30 GB of data in real time. Thus, among other things, the human genome can be decoded in a few hours.