The mission of the Advanced Technology Group, within the ARUP Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology, is to identify, develop and evaluate emerging technologies that show promise for clinical diagnostic applications.  The Advanced Technology Group (ATG) is directed by Drs. Karl Voelkerding and Carl Wittwer and is comprised of eight research and development scientists whose backgrounds encompass a spectrum of knowledge and technical skills ranging from molecular biology to engineering and computer programming.  Currently, the overall emphasis of research activities within the ATG focuses on technologies for the analysis of nucleic acids with a goal towards improving the field of molecular diagnostics.  Significant efforts are focused on nucleic acid amplification, methods for detection of nucleotide variations and mutations, instrumentation for nucleic acid analysis including real-time PCR detection and novel approaches for data analysis.

Currently, the ATG is pursuing a number of projects.  We continue to investigate how we can improve and extend the analysis of nucleotide variations by the technique of melting.  A tremendous amount of information can be derived by the precise controlled melting of a DNA duplex, one for example, generated by PCR.  The shape of the melting curve, as monitored by changes in fluorescence, is a reflection of the nucleotide sequence of the duplex.  When melting is performed in a controlled manner, nucleotide sequence variations can be identified between DNA duplexes, enabling the identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms and mutations.  The ATG is evaluating this technology for its ability to identify polymorphisms and mutations in genes and its particular promise for providing a rapid and low-cost approach for scanning for sequence variations in large, multi-exon genes.  Coupled to this technical approach are efforts to improve data analysis associated with the melting curve methods.  The vision of these efforts is to reduce the amount of manual time that is currently required to visually inspect melting curves for diagnostic purposes. 

Most recently, and on an entirely different project front, the ATG has embarked upon single nucleic acid molecule amplification by performing amplification in micro vesicles generated by water in oil emulsion approaches.  By amplifying single nucleic acid molecules in individualized microvesicles compartments, one can ask questions regarding the composition of a population of nucleic acids.  This approach has been successfully used, within the research setting, for the enumeration of genetic alleles, the demonstration of chromosomal inversions and the assignment of genetic haplotypes.  However, emulsion amplification technologies are still in their early phases.  Within the ATG, our goal is to determine if we can develop and refine emulsion amplification technologies to the point where they will reach a robustness applicable for clinical use.

In an effort to meet its mission, the ATG serves as a resource for technologies and expertise for all groups within the ARUP Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology.  This leads to an interesting and exciting diversity of collaborative interactions.