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IMAGE: New SaferSeqS technology detects rare mutations in blood in a highly efficient manner and reduces the error rate. view more
Credit: Elizabeth Cooke
Next-generation gene sequencing (NGS) technologies in which millions of DNA molecules are simultaneously but individually analyzed theoretically provides researchers and clinicians the ability to noninvasively identify mutations in the blood stream. Identifying such mutations enables earlier diagnosis of cancer and can inform treatment decisions. Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center researchers developed a new technology to overcome the inefficiencies and high error rates common among next-generation sequencing techniques that have previously limited their clinical application.
To correct for these sequencing errors, the research team from the Ludwig Center and Lustgarten Laboratory at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center developed SaferSeqS (Safer Sequencing System), a major improvement to widely used tec