Steve Turner, Pacific Biosciences, Palo Alto, California

1. Zero-mode Waveguides for Single Molecule Real Time DNA SequencingSandip Tiwari, Cornell University, ECCS - 0335765 Pacific Biosciences, a Califormia start-up company, is commercializing a new low cost real-time DNA sequencing technology, based on research originally done at Cornell. The technology relies on “zero mode waveguldes” (ZMWs), tiny holes 10s of nm in diameter, resulting in a detection volume of 20 zeptoliters. The ZMW provides the world’s smallest detection volume, representing a 1000-fold improvement over existing single-molecule detection technology Within this small volume, the polymerase reaction on a single molecule can be monitored optically, allowing rapid, massively parallel sequencing of DNA. This technique stands to revolutionize genome sequencing, providing both higher speed and lower cost. Production and continued development of the Pacific Biosciences sensor is dependent upon high resolution ebeam lithography done at CNF. Each sensor contains thousands of zero mode waveguides. Pacific Biosciences, recently featured in Fortune, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, & NY Times, currently employs over 200 people and is one of the fastest growing biotechnology startups. The first commercial instruments from Pacific Biosciences will be available in 2010. SEM of single ZMW Schematic of ZMW detection mechanism using fluorescence from the polymerase reaction in zeptoliter volume Optical detection system schematic Steve Turner, Pacific Biosciences, Palo Alto, California Work performed at Cornell NanoScale Facility