New method to purify DNA/RNA from archived tissue to enable better sequencing
Official title: Developing a New Nucleic Acid Extraction Technology to Enable High Quality DNA Sequencing for Formalin Fixed Paraffin Embedded Tissue Samples
Funded at Vellum Biotechnology, INC. · NIH-11337585 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new method using epitachophoresis to extract high-quality nucleic acids from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue, helping researchers get better DNA and RNA data from precious patient samples.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vellum Biotechnology, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Palo Alto, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,014,715 |
| NIH project number | 5R44HG014445-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11337585 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are researchers or clinicians who rely on high-quality DNA/RNA from FFPE tissue for sequencing and biomarker studies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tissue samples are not FFPE or whose sequencing needs are unrelated to FFPE-derived nucleic acids may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to improve the way we purify DNA and RNA from long-stored FFPE tissue samples so next-generation sequencing can produce higher-quality results. The team will develop epitachophoresis-based purification in a circular-well system to reduce contamination and variability. If successful, this could unlock more reliable sequencing data from archived patient tissues that are already available in biobanks. The work focuses on overcoming technical barriers, with the goal of enabling more accurate diagnostics and research findings from FFPE samples.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from faster, more accurate sequencing of archived tumor or tissue samples, potentially guiding future diagnostics and therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous methods often struggle with yield and quality from FFPE; this work aims to overcome these issues with a novel purification approach, offering potential for improved results.
Where this research is happening
-
Vellum Biotechnology, INC.
Palo Alto, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Astier, Yann — Vellum Biotechnology, INC.
- Study coordinator: Astier, Yann
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Improving DNA extraction from preserved tissue samples for better sequencing results
This study is testing a new way to get better DNA from preserved tissue samples, which can help doctors and researchers understand diseases more clearly, and it’s designed for patients whose tissue has been stored for testing.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.