Biosensor Systems to Aid Forensic Analysis

Two biosensor systems will be used for high-throughput forensic analysis of human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to genotype and identify individuals based on unique patterns of genetic variation.

The purchase by a U.S. government agency of two Ibis T5000 systems marks an important milestone for Isis' Ibis Biosciences division (Carlsbad, CA USA), which has worked closely with government collaborators to expand the Ibis T5000 capabilities to include forensics. Isis plans to complete installation of the first system before the end of the year and to install the second system early in 2007.

MtDNA analysis is often used in cases involving the identification of human remains or missing persons where nuclear DNA is either too degraded or too scarce to employ standard analytical methods. Compared to traditional sequencing methods for mtDNA analysis, the Ibis T5000 is automated and high-throughput, allowing numerous samples to be analyzed rapidly and accurately.

In addition, Isis announced that Ibis recently received a contract from the U.S. government to perform forensic analyses of up to 10,000 samples in its Ibis T5000 Assay Services Laboratory. This assay service capability represents a key part of the Ibis business strategy, as it not only has the potential to be an important revenue-generating opportunity for the business, but also represents an important resource for customers evaluating the capabilities of the system and collaborating in applications development. Ibis Biosciences also plans to leverage the unique benefits of the Ibis T5000 Biosensor System to enter the diagnostics market with a partner in the future.

Isis announced that it successfully completed the first phase of its Challenge Grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID, Bethesda, MD, USA), and has been granted funding for the second and third phases of the grant, which include installing an Ibis T5000 at Johns Hopkins University Medical Center (Baltimore, MD, USA). The purpose of the grant is to develop and validate a broad range of assays for respiratory and blood-borne infectious agents, including bacteria and viruses on the NIAID priority list. The milestones for the first phase involve development of assays for identification, strain typing, virulence, and drug resistance of important human pathogens.



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