Molecular Inversion Probes for Microbial and Viral Typing

We are developing an assay for detection and identification of microbial and viral pathogens using molecular inversion probes (MIP). The new method will allow specific microbial and viral typing to species/subspecies/strain level with high sensitivity and specificity. PCR biases and non-specific amplifications from genomic DNA are avoided as amplification is performed on universal sequence-tags pre-designed on MIP. As a model system, we have applied human papillomaviruses (HPV), which are the causative agents of cervical cancer, genital warts and skin problems. There are over 100 HPV genotypes identified to date. A MIP-assay is under development for detection and identification of the entire clinical relevant HPVs as well as STDs in the same reaction mixture at genomic level.