Publications

Digital polymerase chain reaction; new diagnostic opportunities

This paper relates to work carried out under Project DX3 - Performance standards for early diagnostic test methods (Early diagnosis metrics) of the NMS Chemical and Biological Metrology programme.

This paper describes the evolution of digital PCR (dPCR), a technique capable of  providing absolute quantity measurements at an unprecedented sensitivity with the ability to detect minute changes in gene sequences. Scientists at LGC have pushed dPCR to detect somatic aneuploidy where the mutant sequence forms less than 10% of the total somatic DNA. This method opens the possibility of non invasive tumour detection at a much earlier disease stage with improved diagnosis leading to better prognosis than is currently possible.

Further information can be obtained from the European Pharmaceutical Review or by contacting the authors via the NMS helpdesk at LGC.