Team:Amplino/Solution/WhyNow

From 2012e.igem.org

(Difference between revisions)
(Created page with "As we are using an existing technology (qPCR), one can wonder why it is not being used in endemic areas already. What has stopped or prevented previous attempts of taking qPCR ou...")
Line 1: Line 1:
As we are using an existing technology (qPCR), one can wonder why it is not being used in endemic areas already. What has stopped or prevented previous attempts of taking qPCR outside of the lab?
As we are using an existing technology (qPCR), one can wonder why it is not being used in endemic areas already. What has stopped or prevented previous attempts of taking qPCR outside of the lab?
 +
A number of factors can be attributed to this:
 +
 +
* The cost of primer synthesis has descreased exponentially over the last decades.
 +
* The PCR patent, and many PCR related patents (such as fluorophores) have been or are about to expire. This allows the cost of consumables to drop significantly.
 +
* Rapid prototyping technology such as cheap electronics, 3D printing and lasercutting allows for lower development cost of new technology.

Revision as of 13:41, 21 October 2012

As we are using an existing technology (qPCR), one can wonder why it is not being used in endemic areas already. What has stopped or prevented previous attempts of taking qPCR outside of the lab? A number of factors can be attributed to this:

* The cost of primer synthesis has descreased exponentially over the last decades.
* The PCR patent, and many PCR related patents (such as fluorophores) have been or are about to expire. This allows the cost of consumables to drop significantly.
* Rapid prototyping technology such as cheap electronics, 3D printing and lasercutting allows for lower development cost of new technology.