NEW YORK — Dovetail Genomics said on Wednesday that it has received a $2 million grant from the National Human Genome Research Institute to continue work on a chromosome conformation assay for high-throughput cancer applications.
The assay — called VariLink — is based on Dovetail's LinkPrep technology for capturing genetic variation in the context of the 3D genome, which enables simultaneous genetic and epigenetic data analyses. LinkPrep is similar to Hi-C but differs in how data analysis is performed. It also runs as a single-day assay, compared with two to three days for most Hi-C assays.
VariLink is designed for ultrahigh sensitivity, de novo detection of large structural variants alongside SNVs, indels, and CNVs on a short-read sequencer. Dovetail recently presented data demonstrating VariLink with ovarian tumor samples.
With the NHGRI funding, of which roughly $1.3 million will be awarded this year, Dovetail will further validate VariLink across multiple clinical sample types and compare it to standard molecular cytogenetic technologies, according to the grant's abstract. The company also aims to adapt VariLink for formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples and develop high-throughput automation and data-analysis protocols.
"We look forward to leveraging this grant to develop high-throughput capabilities and validate additional sample types, including FFPE, to drive broader utilization in oncology research," Dovetail CEO Matt Easterday said in a statement.
Scotts Valley, California-based Dovetail is a unit of Cantata Bio. In addition to its efforts with VariLink, the company is preparing to launch a structural variant detection kit and service based on LinkPrep.