# Nanochannel-nanopore based DNA sequencing with DNA motion control and reduced entropic noise

> **NIH NIH R43** · GOEPPERT, LLC · 2020 · $350,000

## Abstract

Project Summary
To improve DNA sequencing and to develop practical methods of RNA sequencing, this NHGRI
Phase I project focuses on using solid-state nanopore sensors coupled with sub-30nm wide
channels embedded into silicon nitride, with electronics operating at 10 MHz bandwidth for DNA
sequencing and direct RNA sequencing. The basic concept involves using an applied voltage to
drive single-stranded DNA molecules through a narrow nanopore, which separates chambers of
electrolyte solution. This voltage also drives a flow of electrolyte ions through the pore, measured
as an electric current. When molecules pass through the nanopore they modify the flow of ions,
and structural information can be extracted by analysis of the duration and magnitude of the
resulting current reductions. The proposed nanochannel system solves two issues relating to DNA
sequencing with solid-state nanopores: 1) feeding long strands of DNA to the sensing element in
a single-stranded conformation; 2) reducing the variability found in DNA translocation signals by
decreasing the conformation variance of DNA within the nanopore interior. Specifically, we seek
to make solid-state ionic-current based nanopore sequencing possible by combining three
important components: a nanochannel with sufficiently tight dimensions to allow long strands of
DNA to enter the sensing nanopore in an ideal conformation, ultra-thin nanopores to increase
signal-to-noise and reduce the number of bases within the pore interior, and optimally fast
measurement of translocation through these pores with low-noise, high-bandwidth electronics.
Our approach aims to eliminate the need for any enzymes and enables DNA molecules to be
geometrically constrained and controlled as they are guided to the nanopores.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10010924
- **Project number:** 1R43HG011215-01
- **Recipient organization:** GOEPPERT, LLC
- **Principal Investigator:** David John Niedzwiecki
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $350,000
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-05-22 → 2022-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10010924

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10010924, Nanochannel-nanopore based DNA sequencing with DNA motion control and reduced entropic noise (1R43HG011215-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10010924. Licensed CC0.

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