Oxford Nanopore Technologies Ltd is developing a disruptive, proprietary technology platform for the label-free analysis of single molecules. The technology has a broad range of potential applications including DNA sequencing, protein analysis for drug development or diagnostics, security & defence, environmental monitoring and much more.
Brief information about the Company and its technology is shown below. For greater detail please browse the rest of our website.
What is Oxford Nanopore Technologies?
The Company was founded on the work of Professor Hagan Bayley of the University of Oxford. Since its foundation the Company has created a series of collaborations with the world's leading nanopore researchers.
The management team, led by Dr Gordon Sanghera, has a track record of delivering disruptive technologies to the market. These technologies are still leading their respective fields and the team's vision is that nanopores will make an even greater impact.
Oxford Nanopore is based at the Oxford Science Park outside Oxford, UK. Our multidisciplinary team includes more than 60 includes scientists, engineers and informaticians. The company is fast-moving, dynamic, and proud of the excellence of its employees. For career opportunities click here.
What is a nanopore?
A nanopore is a very small hole. The first generation of nanopore sensing technology uses a protein called alpha-hemolysin to punch holes in membranes. Future generations of nanopore-based sensing technology may combine protein nanopores with membranes made from man made materials or be composed of man made holes in man made materials ("solid-state" nanopores). Oxford Nanopore has collaborations and a robust intellectual property estate in these areas.
A nanopore may be used to identify an analyte by measuring a current through the pore. When an analyte of interest passes through the pore or near to its aperture, it creates a characteristic disruption in current. This disruption may be used to identify the molecule in question, without the need for optical labelling. Click here for more.
What does the platform technology consist of?
The platform technology consists of a sensor chip containing multiple microwells. A lipid bilayer is formed over a microwell and our modified protein nanopores are introduced into these bilayers. Each nanopore is capable of individual identification of analyte molecules. Future generations of the platform will evolve in a variety of ways for greater performance and scalability. Click here for more.
How does Nanopore DNA sequencing work?
In the case of DNA sequencing we use protein nanopores to process, identify and record DNA bases in sequence. A processive enzyme is coupled to the protein nanopore to ensure that individual DNA bases are recorded in the correct order. For a full explanation click here.
What are the benefits of using nanopores to sequence DNA?
In contrast to current sequencing technologies, nanopores can measure single molecules directly, without the need for nucleic acid amplification, chemical labelling, optical instrumentation and the need to convert photon signals into to digital data. The system will be massively scalable as single nanopores can be set within individual wells in an arrayed silicon chip.
This elegant and scalable technology has the potential to transform the speed and cost of DNA sequencing. The explosive interest in the race for the "$1000 genome" underlines the medical and research needs for a sequencing technology that is so affordable and accessible that research and understanding of the genome will increase exponentially. This will enable a new era in medicine, agriculture, energy, biodiversity, evolutionary biology, genealogy and many other fields.
What else can the proprietary platform be used for?
Oxford Nanopore is developing a modular technology. By adapting the nanopore within the overall technology platform, it is possible to detect a variety of molecules. For example, nanopores may be used to detect proteins, small molecules or polymers. Early development work is being conducted in these areas.