New Technique to Identify DNA Mutations

Scientists at the A*STAR’s Genome of Institute of Singapore (GIS) led by Dr. Shyam Prabhakar have developed a new genetic analysis technique to identify disease-causing DNA mutations. This technique, known as the Genotype-independent Signal Correlation and Imbalance (G-SCI), detects genetic mutations associated with specific chemical changes that cause disease.

G-SCI uses a combination of chemical profiling and histone acetylation sequencing to detect DNA mutations. A 10 times greater sensitivity was reported in comparison to other existing methods such as genome sequencing. The new technique is also less time consuming in addition to laying the ground for further studies into the genetic variation in diseases.

The development of the G-SCI test has allowed scientists to identify the association between DNA mutations and autoimmune diseases. This would then lead to accurate diagnosis of diseases hence development of new drugs, which is the ultimate goal of precision medicine.

Source: A*STAR