Green Lab Publishes Patent for Detecting Nucleic Acids
Milad Babaei, MCBB PhD student of the Green Lab, and Dr. Zhaoqing Yan (GRS ’23), along with their mentor, Dr. Alexander Green, are co-authors on a recently published patent. This patent, titled “Isothermal Nucleic Acid Detection Assays and Uses Thereof” by Green et al. (US Patent 2023/0313283, October 2, 2023), describes rapid methods for detecting nucleic acids, from viruses to circulating mRNAs, in low-cost portable formats.
Nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, play a crucial role in genetic information. “Isothermal” refers to processes that occur at a constant temperature. In the context of nucleic acid detection, isothermal assays are methods that allow the amplification and detection of nucleic acids at a constant temperature without the need for thermal cycling, as in PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction).
The team is currently expanding its panel of detection by developing lateral flow strips that can spontaneously probe for multiple targets using multiple test lines. This capability is crucial for the future of detecting and analyzing nucleic acids, which are fundamental in various fields, including medical diagnostics, research, and biotechnology.
Congratulations, Dr. Alexander Green, Milad Babaei, and Dr. Zhaoqing Yan!