Applications

BART was designed to make Molecular Diagnostics accessible to a larger number and broader range of customers.  Molecular diagnostics enables the detection of unique DNA or RNA associated with an analyte of interest.  The techniques are highly specific, exquisitely sensitive and represent the new generation of in vitro diagnostics.

A major application of molecular diagnostics is the specific detection, identification and monitoring of pathogens, whether viral or bacterial in nature.  Pathogens are not the only cause of disease however and molecular diagnostics are being increasingly applied to disease prediction, treatment and management via the analysis of genetic markers.  For example, genetic markers in an individual can predict whether they will have an adverse reaction to a particular pharmaceutical.

Molecular methods are also being exploited for their commercial and regulatory benefits.  For example, molecular methods can establish whether produce has the claimed provenance, detect GMO in crops, be used in conjunction with security protocols and even confirm the sex and ID of livestock.

Since technology now exists that enables molecular methods to be coupled to antibody detection, the same methods can be used to detect not just molecular analytes, but any analyte.  Thus molecular methods are moving towards providing a single universal solution to in vitro diagnostics.