Mayo Clinic and Oxford Nanopore Technologies have announced a partnership to develop novel clinical tests for various diseases and enhance patient care.
Within the framework of the collaboration, Mayo Clinic and Oxford Nanopore have identified several key areas of development, including translational research in human genetics and the detection of genetic predisposition to cancer.
The joint efforts are geared towards advancing medical knowledge and improving patient outcomes in these critical areas.
Oxford Nanopore Technologies CEO Gordon Sanghera said: “We are proud to work with Mayo Clinic to support the development of new tests that will assist clinical decision-making and improve patient lives.
“This collaboration shows that Oxford Nanopore’s technology is ready to support the development and validation of assays for clinical care, and it underscores our maturity and long-term vision to transform this space.
“We have long held the ambition to become a utility player in world-renowned, global clinical centres of excellence, and this is our first step toward achieving that vision.”
Nanopore sequencing is ideally suited to support Mayo Clinic’s objectives of enhancing diagnostic capabilities in challenging medical conditions.
The technology’s capacity to sequence DNA fragments of varying lengths, ranging from short to long and ultra-long, while simultaneously enabling real-time methylation analysis, holds the potential to furnish clinicians with a comprehensive and rapidly evolving view of a cancer genome.
The real-time methylation assessment is of particular significance, as it typically involves bisulfite conversions and additional expenses, yet it plays a critical role in unveiling essential insights.
Mayo Clinic’s Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology interim chair Bobbi Pritt said: “Pairing Oxford Nanopore’s innovative nanopore sequencing with Mayo Clinic’s world-class clinical and diagnostic testing knowledge further helps advance patient care.
“We are excited to collaborate with Oxford Nanopore on this effort to develop new clinical tests that will provide the right answers for patients at the right time.”
The collaborative efforts will be carried out on Mayo Clinic’s campus located in Rochester, Minnesota.
