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Posted: December 3, 2008

READNA consortium to accelerate development of DNA/nucleic acid analysis technologies
(Nanowerk News) A new consortium was launched today to further the development of new technologies for the analysis of DNA and other nucleic acids. The REvolutionary Approaches and Devices for Nucleic Acid analysis (READNA) consortium includes projects to accelerate new breakthrough DNA sequencing technologies and methods to enhance existing analysis methods. The consortium includes 16 European partners from both academia and industry, and launches with a €12m grant via the European Commission’s seventh Framework Programme (FP7).
“We are pleased to have gathered Europe’s most innovative researchers in nucleic acid analysis for the READNA project,” said Dr. Ivo Gut, project coordinator for READNA and Associate Director at the Centre National de Genotypage (CNG) a component of the recently created Institut Génomique of the CEA. “The project is designed to further medical science and ultimately to drive improved health outcomes. We will focus on the development of new nucleic acid analysis technologies, and also the improvement of existing ones. The calibre of the science in this project highlights Europe’s strong heritage and excellence in this important area of the life sciences.”
The READNA project combines a range of groundbreaking approaches from different scientific disciplines and aims to progress technologies that will sequence an entire human genome for 1000€ in less than one day.
Specific goals of the project include:
  • Development of rapid and cost-effective 3rd generation sequencing methodologies for direct, long sequencing of individual nucleic acid molecules (10 Kb);
  • Single molecule detection of DNA molecules in nanosystems using nanopores and nano channels;
  • Improvement of current nucleic acid sequencers for widespread dissemination;
  • Enrichment strategies for targeted DNA sequencing;
  • Methods for the detection and the enrichment of rare mutations from peripheral patient samples;
  • Combining RNA and DNA analysis in a single analytical device;
  • Development of methods for high-resolution genome-wide DNA methylation analysis;
  • Development of cost-effective high-resolution HLA typing;
  • Development of assays for effective high-resolution typing of copy number variations.
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    Consortium members
    The READNA consortium unites leading researchers from ten academic institutions, three SMEs and three large companies. Participants come from a diverse range of scientific disciplines. The interdisciplinary nature of the consortium will allow the exploration of novel concepts of nucleic acid analysis. Via the READNA project, results are expected to improve many aspects of patient care including the development of new personalised medical strategies and treatments. The combination of academic and industrial partners will encourage the fast and efficient transition from basic research to commercially available technologies.
    READNA is a four year project running from the 1st of June 2008 until the 31st of May 2012 and is funded by the FP7 framework programme of the European Commission. The project will be co-ordinated by the CEA (France) with partners coming from several European countries including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Sweden, Denmark and Holland. Apart from the research activities, READNA will also be organising meetings, workshops and will be present at a number of international conferences.
    Members of the consortium:
  • CEA (Coordinator), Ivo Gut, Olivier Gal, FR
  • University of Uppsala, Mats Nilsson, Ulf Landegren, SE
  • University of Oxford, Hagan Bayley, Kalim Mir, Achilles Kapandis, UK
  • University of Leicester, Anthony Brookes, UK
  • Max-Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Hans Lehrach, Sascha Sauer, DE
  • Delft University of Technology, Cees Dekker, NL
  • Lund University, Jonas Tegenfeldt, SE
  • University of Southampton, Tom Brown, UK
  • Christian Albrechts University, Stefan Schreiber, DE
  • Technical University of Denmark, Anders Kristensen, Henrik Flyvberg, DK
  • Olink Bioscience, Björn Ekström, Mats Gullberg, SE
  • Oxford Nanopore Technologies, Gordon Sanghera, Spike Willcocks, UK
  • Applied Biosystems, Simone Guenther, Jonathan Mangion, DE
  • Photonis, Emile Schyns, NL/FR
  • Philips Research, Pieter van der Zaag, NL
  • FEBIT : Heidelberg DE
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    Contacts

    Dr. Ivo Gut (Project Coordinator) - +33 (0) 160878400 - [email protected]

    Steven McGinn (Project Manager) - +33 (0) 160878400 - [email protected]
    Source: READNA