Democratizing nanopore-based research to enable novel diagnostics

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This project will further develop the University of Ottawa's novel nanopore fabrication technology from the current lab research prototype, to a robust device that can be delivered to third parties for use in their research. It is a key step in our long-term goal to develop a novel molecular detection platform for in-vitro medical diagnostics market with our commercial partner, Abbott Laboratories. Medicine is undergoing a technological revolution, whereby critical healthcare decisions will be driven by a patient's unique molecular profile. This emerging era of personalized medicine is being made possible by new technologies that are sensitive enough to investigate fundamental biological building blocks like DNA, RNA, and proteins, one molecule at a time. As these technologies mature, they will impact all aspects of medicine: companion diagnostics will determine whether or not a cancer patient will respond to a new targeted therapy, a simple blood test will determine whether a concussion requires further treatment, and critical care physicians will test a patient's heart health at the bedside instead of waiting hours for results from a centralized lab. Solid-state nanopores - nanometer sized holes in silicon membranes - are a leading candidate technology driving this revolution, but there is currently no appropriate fabrication techniques that provide a viable path to commercialize solid-state nanopore-based technologies. Our revolutionary pore fabrication method, controlled dielectric breakdown, or CBD, solves this issue in a simple, scalable, low-cost way. The goal of this project is to develop CBD into a prototype bench-top nanopore fabrication and sensing instrument that is simple and robust enough to be used by health-focused researchers to develop a new generation of improved diagnostics. Ultimately this project will improve Canadian healthcare and help Canada strengthen its position as a global leader in the development of new health and nanotechnologies.