The evolution of PCR: From q to dd and beyond

Future Science Group

PCR has evolved rapidly over the last few years, an evolution that has been dramatically accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. New technologies and approaches have been brought to the fore and the full range of applications for which this technique can be applied have been highlighted, from diagnostics to basic disease research and immunology. This episode explores this evolution, looking at how challenges presented by the pandemic forced the hand of researchers to think outside the box and build on lesser-known PCR technologies. Here, Eddy van Collenburg, Market Development Specialist at Bio-Rad, provides his insight into how ddPCR rose to prevalence during this time and explains how the technology is being used to enable trade, detect new variants and is being used outside of the pandemic. Discover the key role that ddPCR can play in gene therapy research, liquid biopsies, cancer research, single-cell studies and more, in this fascinating overview of the development of PCR and where the technique can go in the future. Contents: Introduction: 00:00-01:30Why was qPCR established as the gold standard for detection? 01:30-03:40Limitations of qPCR during the pandemic 03:40-05:05New varieties of PCR for faster results: 05:05-05:40New varieties for more accurate results: 05:40-06:45ddPCR working principle and advantages: 06:45-09:00Nonclinical ddPCR applications for COVID-19: 09:00-10:45ddPCR in variant detection: 10:45-12:05ddPCR in gene therapy research: 11:05-12:30Liquid biopsy and cancer research: 12:30-15:20Combining ddPCR with NGS in research: 15:20-16:15What are some of the applications of ddPCR that you find most exciting? 16:15-17:10 Applications of ddPCR in single-cell studies 17:10-21:00Improvements in ddPCR: 21:00-21:45 Tips for best practice when using ddPCR: 21:45-22:50What would you ask for to improve ddPCR? 21:50-24:20