THE HANDYLAB--INSTANT DNA TESTING

Just as an expectant mother goes into labor, a hospital nurse quickly takes a vaginal swab, places it in a syringe containing a small amount of buffer solution, and injects the liquid into a small hand-held instrument. Then, by pressing a single button, she triggers a fully automated DNA analysis. In less than 30 minutes, she’ll know whether or not the baby could be exposed to Grade B Streptococcus, a potentially fatal form of bacteria.

That diagnostic device is the HandyLab. It’s much smaller and simpler than conventional DNA testers, which run samples through several apparatuses, which together can take up a laboratory bench. But, in the new and compact tester, all this equipment is converted into tiny valves that are just a little larger than postage stamps.

Within several years, this small, sophisticated, on-site DNA-testing machine could be on the market. It could be used to diagnose a wide range of infectious and genetically-based diseases. It could even detect airborne pathogens, such as anthrax and smallpox, protecting Americans against epidemics and bioterrorism.

The HandyLab is one more lifesaving reward for Americans’ investment in university science. It was developed at the University of Michigan, and pre-clinical trials are being conducted at the University of Michigan Medical Center and at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. This research was funded by National Institutes of Health grants from the National Human Genome Research Institute and the National Science Foundation.

Download All 15 Examples (PDF)