GIST Develops Gene Diagnostic Technology That Detects Cancer and Infectious Diseases in 20 Minutes with PCR-level Accuracy [Reading Science]

Performance Proven in 120 Patient Samples
Universal Platform Realized by Controlling CRISPR Reaction Speed

The research team at GIST has developed a next-generation gene detection technology that can diagnose not only infectious diseases but also cancer and genetic disorders in about 20 minutes. This universal platform, which ensures accuracy and sensitivity comparable to conventional PCR while eliminating the need for complex equipment and enabling expansion to various diseases, is gaining attention as a next-generation point-of-care diagnostic technology.

On March 30, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology announced that the research team led by Professor Min Gon Kim from the Department of Chemistry had developed a gene diagnostic technology capable of flexibly designing and detecting target genes for various diseases. The research results were published online in the international journal Nucleic Acids Research on March 3.

Schematic diagram of the diagnostic platform controlling CRISPR gene cutting speed by adjusting the length of the oligonucleotide, and verifying accuracy in actual patient samples. Provided by the research team

The core of this technology is the insertion of a short gene fragment (oligo) as a "brake" to precisely control the detection reaction speed during the CRISPR-based one-pot diagnostic process. Previously, amplification and detection reaction speeds differed by gene, requiring repeated optimization to find the best conditions. However, the research team presented a design rule that allows independent control of reaction speed simply by adjusting the oligo length.

When applied to 120 actual patient samples, the technology determined infection status within about 20 minutes and demonstrated accuracy and sensitivity comparable to quantitative PCR. The research team explained that this proves the clinical applicability of the method, securing both speed and reliability.

Photo of the research team. Back row from left: Ho-Yeon Lee, Research Professor in Chemistry; Kyuhan Lee, Master's student; Junhyuk Park and Yejin Park, PhD students. Front row from left: Hyungbin Park, Integrated Master's and PhD student (first author); Mingon Kim, Professor (corresponding author); Jiyoung Yoon, Master's student. Provided by GIST

The strength of this technology is its universality, as it is not limited to specific diseases. By changing the oligo design, the platform can be used to diagnose a wide range of conditions, from infectious diseases such as COVID-19 to cancer and genetic disorders. This also significantly reduces the need for repeated optimization for each gene, thereby accelerating the development of diagnostic technologies.

Professor Min Gon Kim stated, "This is not a technology for just one target disease, but a diagnostic platform that can be tailored to various gene targets," and added, "Although we have validated it mainly with samples from infectious disease patients, it can be further expanded to areas such as cancer and genetic disorders in the future."

GIST plans to pursue commercialization of this achievement, viewing its potential not only as an academic milestone but also for technology transfer to the next-generation molecular diagnostics industry.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.