Researchers from the University of Nottingham, in collaboration with clinicians at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH), have created a genetic test capable of diagnosing brain tumours in just two hours.
The NUH team applied this innovative method during 50 brain tumour surgeries, enabling rapid, real-time diagnoses during the operations.
This technique demonstrated complete accuracy, producing diagnostic results in under two hours and providing detailed tumour classifications within minutes of sequencing. By continuing the sequencing process, the system can deliver a fully comprehensive diagnosis within 24 hours.
The platform relies on a software tool known as ROBIN, which operates using P2 PromethION nanopore sequencers. This technology identifies DNA sequences by monitoring changes in electrical flow as individual DNA molecules pass through a nanopore in a membrane.
