Polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) are widely used to synthesize DNA as part of DNA sequencing work. Dr. Victor Ugaz at Texas A&M University has found a way to speed up the PCR DNA copying process at very low cost.
A pocket-sized device that runs on two AA batteries and copies DNA as accurately as expensive lab equipment has been developed by researchers in the US.
The device has no moving parts and costs just $10 to make. It runs polymerase chain reactions (PCRs), to generate billions of identical copies of a DNA strand, in as little as 20 minutes. This is much faster than the machines currently in use, which take several hours.
The development of cheap miniature devices is the future of biotechnology and is going to do to biotechnology what miniaturization has done to computer technology. Therefore we should expect a huge acceleration of the rate at which biological science advances and the development of very cheap methods of repair of aged bodies.
Dr. Ugaz uses convection to move the PCR process through a series of steps.
Currently, PCR faces a time issue, as it is typically ran in a thermocycler, averaging between one and three hours. Using a convective flow system, the process runs faster and more efficient, using natural convection and buoyancy forces to create the required temperature cycles.
By eliminating the need for dynamic external temperature control, a convective flow-based system is capable of achieving performance equal to or exceeding that of conventional thermocyclers in a greatly simplified format, This level of simplicity is a significant departure from previous attempts to construct novel thermocycling equipment, where added complexities often far outweigh any potential performance gains, We propose a research effort targeted at developing a new generation of thermocycling equipment offering improved performance at a significantly lower cost, thereby making PCR practical for use in a wider array of settings.
Researchers like Dr. Ugaz who work on methods to speed up and miniaturize technology used to manipulate biological materials are going catalyze a revolution in biomedical science and biotechnology.
Thanks to Brock McCusick for the tip.
By Randall Parker at 2007 May 01 10:38 PM Biotech Advance Rates | TrackBackThese kind of things are earth-shattering developments.
Soon what will I need big pharma for? These kind of inventions make the do-it-yourself micro-pharma a reality. Given the incredible quantum leap this provides research they won't be banned.
Micro-pharma will also mean the ability to test out lots of avenues.
It also means folks like me, who want a protein for therapeutic reasons, but can't stand the glacial pace of FDA nonsensical approval processes, will just go our merry way and take our chances with our own home-grown proteins.
Biotech instrumentation is clearly following a "Moore's Law" like progression, that should continue for the next few decades. This is the fundamental reason why I find it difficult to believe that aging cannot be cured in the next 30-40 years.
$10 machine! Yeesh. How much does the knowledge to run it cost? And when will that come in a .pdf or installable chip?
Fantastic news.
It's the reagents I expect they'd really hit you up for. ;)
Naw, you can source the reagents from China on Alibaba.com. Of course, these will not be FDA approved.
If biotech get's anything like computer tech, with people making breakthroughs in their garages and dorm rooms, I expect a major government crackdown.
For one thing, a real virus is a lot more dangerous than a software one.
Secondly, the governments missed the boat on computers, and a major new industry and power centre grew up without them throttling it with red tape and taxes. They won't make that mistake again.
Given the cost/performance trends in instrumentation, I think it inevitable that biotech will become like computers, complete with the rise of the bio-hackers. Biohacking is inevitable. Governments will rant and rave about it, but will not be able to do much in the long run. Government crackdowns and restrictions will actually increase the threat of a genetically engineered virus for two reasons.
The first reason is that bureaucracy is less capable of responding to changed and conditions than decentralized networks of individuals. FEMA is a perfect example of this. If a genetically engineered plague breaks out in 2017, who would you bet on developing a cure first? The CDC or WHO? Or a decentralized network of 10,000 bio-hackers? I would bet any amount of money on the biohackers.
The other reason why government crackdowns will increase the threat of bio-terrorism is because such crackdowns will target (and therefor alienate) precisely the kind of high IQ people who seek to innovate and create positive changes in society. These are the only people any government and society cannot afford to alienate because they are the people necessary to realize international competitiveness. They are also the only people who are capable of being truly dangerous when pissed-off. It may be a hard road for the politicians and bureaucrats to follow, but I believe that the comming decades will result in greater respect and reverance of high IQ people on the part of religions and governments (because those that do not learn will become extinct).
It may be a hard road for the politicians and bureaucrats to follow, but I believe that the comming decades will result in greater respect and reverance of high IQ people on the part of religions and governments (because those that do not learn will become extinct).Just one enormous problem with this sort of thinking, if one can trust the published reports at all, is that highly intelligent people aren't having very many children. Hell, highly intelligent people aren't even facing up to the problem. Thus, it appears the highly intelligent, who have never been all that numerous anyway, will increasingly make up in rarity what we lack in prudence.
I can see the utility of this, but I'd be a lot more impressed with a $10 DNA *synthesizer* or *reader*, than with a copier.
Kurt9, you're assuming that demand for biotech hardware is similar to demand for PC hardware. Nah, PCs can make your life easier, but biotech can save your life. The demand for biotech hardware will be vastly greater and have a much broader appeal than mere PCs have. Therefore, the rate of progression will be faster than Moore's Law, especially when you factor in the number of Baby Boomers approaching old age and in need of biotech assistance.
Oh, for those interested in the analysis part, take a look at this:
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=24678
A mass-spectrometer on a chip. It can identify proteins by their mass signature, which is a darn good way to trace genes. Just imagine if everyone had one inside their cellphone, heh. They could analyze your breath, analyze the air around you, etc, to find what chemicals or proteins you were ingesting or excreting.