Solving the Problems of Conventional Extraction Methods with Isotachophoresis

Conventional methods of extracting DNA and RNA from biological samples have remained unchanged for decades. This has left the scientific community to work through tedious workflows, unpredictable yields, and unmet QC metrics to prepare their samples for genomics assays. This is where Purigen is making a difference. By giving scientists the ability to purify their samples with a simple, reliable, and automated method that uses charge-based separation instead of the classic bind-wash-strip approach, Purigen’s Ionic® Purification System is a simply better solution.

In a recent video, CEO Barney Saunders, Ph.D., reveals how Purigen’s revolutionary isotachophoresis technology originated from a desire to enable cancer genomics by providing researchers with a path to overcoming the drawbacks of traditional sample prep methods. Picture in your mind the process of removing wallpaper from a wall. You start by scoring, then steaming, and finally, peeling off the wallpaper one small piece at a time. This is how Barney illustrates the challenges of how nucleic acids extraction is currently performed in most labs today. By using isotachophoresis to separate molecules based on charge only, the Ionic system requires none of these harsh steps to provide clean, undamaged nucleic acids for use in genomics applications.

“Every single sample that goes into a next-generation sequencer, a digital PCR system, or qPCR system passes through sample prep. The demand for these samples and better data continues to grow.”

Barney Saunders, Ph.D., Purigen Biosystems

Rescuing Data from Clinical Samples where Conventional Methods Could Not

Barney and CSO, Klint Rose, Ph.D., describe recent studies with Stanford University and the University of North Carolina where the Ionic system is able to retrieve data from various clinical samples where conventional methods could not. By focusing on challenging samples like FFPE tissues, Barney explains how the Ionic system is providing the best platform for researchers working with irreplaceable specimens that are highly difficult to work with.

“Extracting much higher quality DNA or RNA, in larger quantities, in a cleaner state that most importantly is going to yield better data for researchers from their precious samples.”

A brief story behind how Purigen started and how it’s now developed into the innovator of next-gen sample prep solutions is described here in this video with Dr. Saunders and Dr. Rose. See how this amazing new technology is transforming the sample prep industry.