CGS-authored
A San Francisco company is offering a new service that allows consumers to shrink-wrap their DNA. Just add water and presto: genetic material ready for testing.
DNA Direct, which provides consumer genetic testing for a variety of serious conditions, premiered a new method Tuesday for storing personal DNA called DNA Archive, which allows individuals to keep preserved DNA at room temperature.
"The extracted DNA is sent back to you, and you can put it anywhere you want," said Trish Brown, vice president of clinical affairs for DNA Direct. "If you want to put it in your sock drawer, you can. If you want to put it in a safe deposit box, you can do that as well."
The company worked with Biomatrica, a San Diego company that develops ways to stabilize biological samples without having to freeze and maintain them in cold-storage facilities.
Using the new technology, DNA material collected through a cheek swab is sent to a laboratory where it is purified, air-dried and stabilized using a synthetic substance that essentially shrink-wraps the DNA.
Consumers receive a small UV-resistant...