Theresa's Biotech / Biomedical Blog
True Single-Molecule Sequencing by Helicos
Data demonstrating a method for true single-molecule sequencing (tSMS)TM, developed by Helicos BioSciences Corporation, will be released today in the peer-reviewed journal Science Magazine. The 5-year-old company, Helicos (now publically traded under NASDAQ: HLCS), specializes in sequencing-by-synthesis genetic analysis platforms.
In a telephone interview with corresponding author Dr. Tim Harris, I learned that the HeliScopeTM Single Molecule Sequencer is the first commercial product to deliver a sequence on a strand of DNA without prior amplification. Before the introduction of this platform, DNA sequencing methods required multiple copies of the target sequence to be generated by PCR-based techniques.
As the recipient of "$1000 Genome" grant funding and a member of the Personalized Medicine Coalition, Helico aims to produce high throughput platforms that reduce costs and minimize laboratory bottlenecks while providing accurate personalized diagnostics for genetic diseases such as cancer. Company literature on the sequencer states that it can sequence an estimated billion bases per day but has the potential to do a billion per hour, lending to the projection that someday Helicos will provide the technology to sequence an entire human genome in one day.
