Portable capillary electrophoresis system for rapid DNA/RNA purity assessment
A portable, automated capillary electrophoresis (CE) platform for rapid DNA and RNA purity assessment in plant materials. The system delivers high separation efficiency with minimal band broadening and run times under 30 minutes, enabling point-of-care genetic analysis without centralized lab testing.
Overview
This solution offers a portable and automated capillary electrophoresis (CE) system designed for rapid DNA and RNA purity assessments in plant materials. The technology addresses the need for point-of-care genetic analysis by providing quantitative, rugged, low-cost, and repeatable tools that eliminate the costs and delays associated with centralized laboratory testing. Developed by a research group with more than 25 years of experience and over 100 publications in CE, the system supports rapid separation and detection of large DNA and RNA markers across multiple crop species.
Technical specifications
Key features:
- Portable CE instrument weighing 32 pounds, suitable for field and point-of-care deployment
- Built-in rechargeable 15 VDC battery and AC power outlet for flexible operation
- UV detection range of 190–380 nm for sensitive nucleic acid detection
- Polymer-coated silanized capillaries with zero electroosmotic flow for robust, repeatable separations
- Compatible sieving media using combinations of commercially available polymers with formamide as a denaturing non-aqueous solvent
- Size separation capability for DNA ranging from 100 to 10,000 base pairs and RNA from 200 to 6,000 nucleotides
- Small sample requirement at nanoliter injection volumes
- Detection sensitivity at nanogram levels
- Per-run cost under $30 with run times under 30 minutes
Technology readiness level
The technology builds on 25 years of validated CE and CE-mass spectrometry methodology, including coated capillary development for small and large molecule analysis. The portable CE platform has been specified and proposed for optimization targeting specific DNA and RNA size ranges relevant to agricultural applications. Future validation efforts will focus on developing and optimizing the system for size separation of DNA and RNA, testing polymer combinations as sieving media, and establishing mechanisms governing separation of different nucleic acid sizes under denaturing conditions.
About Georgia State University
Georgia State University is a comprehensive public research university in downtown Atlanta, serving a large and diverse student body with a rapidly growing research enterprise. An urban innovation district and co-located collaboration spaces link faculty and students with corporate partners for prototyping, user testing, and joint problem-solving. Shared core laboratories and campus computing resources support industry-sponsored work, while proximity to Fortune 500 headquarters, major hospital systems, and the CDC enables quick access to real-world testbeds. Research is backed by competitive federal funding from agencies such as NIH, NSF, and DoD. A dedicated technology transfer office streamlines IP, licensing, and startup formation to speed commercialization.
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