The Domino technology uses a plastic chip that can perform 20 genetic tests from a single drop of blood.
You wouldn't know it from appearances, but a metal cube the size of a toaster, created at the University of Alberta, is capable of performing the same genetic tests as most fully equipped modern laboratoriesand in a fraction of the time.
At its core is a small plastic chip developed with nanotechnology that holds the key to determining whether a patient is resistant to cancer drugs or has viruses like malaria. The chip can also pinpoint infectious diseases in a herd of cattle.
Talk about thinking outside the box.
Dubbed the Domino, the technologydeveloped by a U of A research teamhas the potential to revolutionize point-of-care medicine. The innovation has also earned Aquila Diagnostic Systems, the Edmonton-based nano startup that licensed the technology, a shot at $175,000 as a finalist for the TEC NanoVenturePrize award.
Were basically replacing millions of dollars of equipment that would be in a conventional, consolidated lab with something that costs pennies to produce and is field portable so you can take it where needed. Thats where this technology shines, said Jason Acker, an associate professor of laboratory medicine and pathology at the U of A and chief technology officer with Aquila.
The Domino employs polymerase chain reaction technology used to amplify and detect targeted sequences of DNA, but in a miniaturized form that fits on a plastic chip the size of two postage stamps. The chip contains 20 gel postseach the size of a pinheadcapable of identifying sequences of DNA with a single drop of blood.
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Thats the real value propositionbeing able to do multiple tests at the same time, Acker said, adding that the Domino has been used in several recently published studies, showing similar accuracy to centralized labs.
The Domino effect: Personalized medicine
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