Human DNA Extracted from Fluids in Minutes with New Technology

Your DNA could be ready to be sequenced in minutes, thanks to some new technology. Researches have created a device that can extract human DNA from fluid samples in a simpler and more efficient way than current methods.

Normally, it's relatively complex to extract DNA from a person--especially from bodily fluids. Conventional methods use a centrifuge to spin and separate DNA molecules or strain them from a fluid sample with a micro-filter. However, these processes take anywhere between 20 to 30 minutes to complete and can require excessive toxic chemicals.

"When you think of the current procedure, the equivalent is like collecting human hairs using a construction crane," said Jae Hyun Chung, a UW associate professor who led the research, in a news release.

In order to make this process faster and more environmentally friendly, researchers created a device that uses microscopic probes that dip into a fluid sample that can be saliva, sputum or blood. The device then applies an electric field within the liquid. This, in turn, draws particles to concentrate around the surface of the tiny probe. While larger particles hit the tip and swerve away, DNA-sized molecules stick to the probe and are trapped on the surface. It only takes about two or three minutes to separate and purify DNA using this technology--ten times faster than current methods.

"This simple process removes all the steps of conventional methods," said Chung.

It's not just faster and less toxic, though. The method is also cheaper. The market for DNA preparation is about $3 billion each year. The new method, in contrast, can be scaled up to prepare 96 samples at a time and could potentially revolutionize the cost and time it takes to sequence DNA

The new technique could also be used remotely. The engineers in Chung's lab have designed a pencil-sized device using the same probe technology that could potentially be sent home with patients or distributed to those serving overseas. Patients can swab their cheeks by themselves and then process their DNA on the spot before sending the data back to hospitals and labs for analysis.

The new technology could potentially allow scientists to sequence DNA much faster than with current methods. In addition, it could lead to better patient care and analysis.