Microchip Biotechnologies, Inc. Collaborating With Stanford University on Developing a Front End Microfluidic-Based Sample Preparation System for Pyrosequencing...( DUBLIN Calif. Feb. 28 /- Microchi...)

DUBLIN, Calif., Feb. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Microchip Biotechnologies, Inc. (MBI) is collaborating with Stanford University to develop a front-end microfluidic based sample preparation system to generate template libraries for next generation Pyrosequencing. The goal of the project is to automate the complex, multi-step upstream template production using MBI's Microscale-On-chip-Valves (MOV(TM)) for Superscalar Pyrosequencing. "Using MBI's MOV technology to develop and integrate a fully automated sample preparation system will greatly reduce upfront sample preparation time (a key bottle neck in next generation sequencing systems), labor, and reagent costs for customers," indicated Dr. Stevan Jovanovich, President and CEO of MBI. MBI's microfluidic technology has been demonstrated in a number of life science, forensic, and biodefense sample preparation applications.

"By integrating and automating the upstream sample processing, it is envisioned that a mammalian genome can be sequenced in a day," said Mostafa Ronaghi, PhD, senior research scientist and the Principal Investigator of the project at Stanford University.

Pyrosequencing was first introduced by Ronaghi and co-workers in 1996 and commercialized by Pyrosequencing AB in Sweden. Pyrosequencing relies on the bioluminometric real-time detection of inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi) that is released on successful incorporation of nucleotides during DNA synthesis.

About Microchip Biotechnologies

Microchip Biotechnologies Inc. is an early-stage privately-held company located in Dublin, California that is developing advanced programmable fluidic sample preparation and analytical instrumentation for Life Sciences, Applied Sciences, and Diagnostics markets. These solution are based on MBI's proprietary "NanoBioProcessorTM platform and associated "Microscale-on-Chip-Valves" (MOVTM). More details can be found on the Company's website: http:
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