{"id":641367,"date":"2024-04-04T12:20:58","date_gmt":"2024-04-04T16:20:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?p=641367"},"modified":"2024-04-04T12:20:59","modified_gmt":"2024-04-04T16:20:59","slug":"tech-today-synthetic-dna-diagnoses-covid-cancer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/stmd\/tech-transfer\/tech-today-synthetic-dna-diagnoses-covid-cancer\/","title":{"rendered":"Tech Today: Synthetic DNA Diagnoses COVID, Cancer"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"\" class=\"padding-top-5 padding-bottom-3 width-full maxw-full hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-article-intro\"><div class=\"width-full maxw-full article-header\"><div class=\"margin-bottom-2 width-full maxw-full\"><p class=\"label carbon-60 margin-0 margin-bottom-3 padding-0\">2 min read<\/p><h1 class=\"display-48 margin-bottom-2\">Tech Today: Synthetic DNA Diagnoses COVID, Cancer<\/h1><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/firebird-kate-web.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"714\" height=\"829\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/firebird-kate-web.jpg?w=714\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Princeton University undergraduate Kate Sheldon in a lab, holding a rectangular device in both hands\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/firebird-kate-web.jpg 714w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/firebird-kate-web.jpg?resize=258,300 258w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/firebird-kate-web.jpg?resize=345,400 345w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/firebird-kate-web.jpg?resize=517,600 517w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 714px) 100vw, 714px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Princeton University undergraduate Kate Sheldon, doing summer work at Firebird Diagnostics, holds a prototype of the Agnostic Life Finder, or ALF, which was developed to seek life on Mars without making Earth-specific assumptions about molecular biology.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">Credit: Firebird Diagnostics LLC<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>At first glance, the search for life beyond Earth might not seem related to human illness, but to biochemist Steven Benner, the connection is clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIn diagnostics for an infectious disease, you\u2019re looking for alien life inside of a patient,\u201d said Benner, who has spent nearly two decades conducting NASA-funded research on what alien life might look like at the molecular level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s actually a bit easier to build a diagnostics assay to detect COVID than to build an agnostic life finder to search for Martian DNA, whose structure would be unknown,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Benner is the co-founder and CEO of Firebird Diagnostics LLC, based in Alachua, Florida, which sells synthetic DNA and molecule packages to researchers, who use them to develop tools to detect and treat ailments like cancer, hepatitis, and HIV. The company also sold COVID tests during the pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Benner holds that while some of what we know about biochemistry on Earth may be universal, most is Earth-specific. He and his partners developed DNA-like molecular systems with six and eight nucleotides, or building blocks, based on research funded partly by NASA\u2019s Astrobiology Program. These systems add to the four building blocks in Earth-based DNA an additional two or four synthetic nucleotides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mary Voytek, head of the Astrobiology Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington, said Benner\u2019s work shows there are alternatives to Earth-based biological molecules, \u201cThis helps us understand what else is possible and may be found in life beyond Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"nasa-gb-align-center nasa-button-link padding-y-1 padding-x-0 hds-module wp-block-nasa-blocks-related-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/spinoff.nasa.gov\/Synthetic_DNA_Diagnoses_COVID_Cancer\" target=\"_self\" class=\"button-primary button-primary-md link-external-true\" aria-label=\"Read more about Read More\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t<span class=\"line-height-alt-1\">Read More<\/span>\n\t\t<svg viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle class=\"button-primary-circle\" cx=\"16\" cy=\"16\" r=\"16\"><\/circle><path d=\"M8 16.956h12.604l-3.844 4.106 1.252 1.338L24 16l-5.988-6.4-1.252 1.338 3.844 4.106H8v1.912z\" class=\"color-spacesuit-white\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"nasa-gb-align-full width-full maxw-full padding-x-3 padding-y-0 nasa_template_article_a hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-credits-and-details\">\n<section class=\"padding-x-0 padding-top-5 padding-bottom-2 desktop:padding-top-7 desktop:padding-bottom-9\">\n\t<div class=\"grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0\">\n\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-2 padding-right-4 margin-bottom-5 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-top-3 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"heading-14\">Share<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"social-icons social-icons-round\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"social-icon 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1.12 2.48 2.5zm.02 4.5h-5v16h5v-16zm7.982 0h-4.968v16h4.969v-8.399c0-4.67 6.029-5.052 6.029 0v8.399h4.988v-10.131c0-7.88-8.922-7.593-11.018-3.714v-2.155z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"social-icon social-icon-rss\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"\/feed\/\" aria-label=\"Subscribe to RSS feed.\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 800 800\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M493 652H392c0-134-111-244-244-244V307c189 0 345 156 345 345zm71 0c0-228-188-416-416-416V132c285 0 520 235 520 520z\"\/><circle cx=\"219\" cy=\"581\" r=\"71\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-5 padding-right-4 margin-bottom-5 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-top-3 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"heading-14\">Details<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-row margin-bottom-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-4\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading\">Last Updated<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-8\">Apr 04, 2024<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-5 padding-right-4 margin-bottom-5 desktop:margin-bottom-0\"><div class=\"padding-top-3 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black \"><div class=\"margin-bottom-2\"><h2 class=\"heading-14\">Related Terms<\/h2><\/div><ul class=\"article-tags\"><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/technology-transfer-spinoffs\/\">Technology Transfer<\/a><\/li><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/technology-transfer-spinoffs\/\">Spinoffs<\/a><\/li><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/technology-transfer-spinoffs\/\">Technology Transfer & Spinoffs<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"nasa-gb-align-full width-full maxw-full padding-x-3 padding-y-0 hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-related-articles\">\t\t<section class=\"hds-related-articles padding-x-0 padding-y-3 desktop:padding-top-7 desktop:padding-bottom-9\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"w-100 grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0 text-align-left\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-4\"><h2 style=\"max-width: 100%;\" class=\"width-full w-full maxw-full\">Explore More<\/h2><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/stmd\/tech-transfer\/spinoffs\/tech-today-stay-safe-with-battery-testing-for-space\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"181\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/sts093-321-026-web.jpg?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/sts093-321-026-web.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/sts093-321-026-web.jpg?resize=300,181 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/sts093-321-026-web.jpg?resize=768,462 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/sts093-321-026-web.jpg?resize=400,241 400w, 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class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t4 days ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/technology\/tech-transfer-spinoffs\/nasa-data-helps-beavers-build-back-streams\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/2023-07-14-s1h-clips-00-17-23-16-still005-edit-topaz-enhance-6000w-sharpen.jpg?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/2023-07-14-s1h-clips-00-17-23-16-still005-edit-topaz-enhance-6000w-sharpen.jpg 6000w, 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https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/2023-07-14-s1h-clips-00-17-23-16-still005-edit-topaz-enhance-6000w-sharpen.jpg?resize=600,338 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/2023-07-14-s1h-clips-00-17-23-16-still005-edit-topaz-enhance-6000w-sharpen.jpg?resize=900,506 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/2023-07-14-s1h-clips-00-17-23-16-still005-edit-topaz-enhance-6000w-sharpen.jpg?resize=1200,675 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/2023-07-14-s1h-clips-00-17-23-16-still005-edit-topaz-enhance-6000w-sharpen.jpg?resize=2000,1125 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">3 min read<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\"><h3 class=\"related-article-title\">NASA Data Helps Beavers Build Back Streams<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2 weeks ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/stmd\/tech-transfer\/tech-today-taking-earths-pulse-with-nasa-satellites\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"236\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/terrapulse-1-web.jpg?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/terrapulse-1-web.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/terrapulse-1-web.jpg?resize=300,236 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/terrapulse-1-web.jpg?resize=768,604 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/terrapulse-1-web.jpg?resize=1024,806 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/terrapulse-1-web.jpg?resize=400,315 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/terrapulse-1-web.jpg?resize=600,472 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/terrapulse-1-web.jpg?resize=900,708 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">2 min read<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\"><h3 class=\"related-article-title\">Tech Today: Taking Earth\u2019s Pulse with NASA Satellites<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2 weeks ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-topic-cards nasa-gb-align-full maxw-full width-full padding-y-6 padding-x-3 color-mode-dark hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-topic-cards\">\t\t<div class=\"grid-container grid-container-block-lg padding-x-0\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-row flex-align-center margin-bottom-3\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"desktop:grid-col-8 margin-bottom-2 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"label color-carbon-60 margin-bottom-2\">Keep Exploring<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"heading-36 line-height-sm\">Discover Related Topics<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-row grid-gap-2 hds-topic-cards-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"#\" class=\"mobile:grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-3 topic-card margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-topic-card hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"skrim-overlay skrim-overlay-dark skrim-left mobile-skrim-top padding-3 display-flex flex-align-end flex-justify-start z-200\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"hds-topic-card-heading heading-29 color-spacesuit-white line-height-sm margin-top-0 margin-bottom-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Missions<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle class=\"color-nasa-red\" cx=\"16\" cy=\"16\" r=\"16\"><\/circle><path d=\"M8 16.956h12.604l-3.844 4.106 1.252 1.338L24 16l-5.988-6.4-1.252 1.338 3.844 4.106H8v1.912z\" class=\"color-spacesuit-white\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/plugins\/nasa-blocks\/assets\/images\/topic-cards\/topic-card-sample-1.jpg\" ><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/headquarters\/library\/find\/bibliographies\/astrobiology\/\" class=\"mobile:grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-3 topic-card margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-topic-card hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"skrim-overlay skrim-overlay-dark skrim-left mobile-skrim-top padding-3 display-flex flex-align-end flex-justify-start z-200\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"hds-topic-card-heading heading-29 color-spacesuit-white line-height-sm margin-top-0 margin-bottom-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Astrobiology<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle class=\"color-nasa-red\" cx=\"16\" cy=\"16\" r=\"16\"><\/circle><path d=\"M8 16.956h12.604l-3.844 4.106 1.252 1.338L24 16l-5.988-6.4-1.252 1.338 3.844 4.106H8v1.912z\" class=\"color-spacesuit-white\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1348\" height=\"899\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/home01-mission.jpg?w=1348\" class=\"attachment-1536x1536 size-1536x1536\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/home01-mission.jpg 1348w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/home01-mission.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/home01-mission.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/home01-mission.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/home01-mission.jpg?resize=400,267 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/home01-mission.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/home01-mission.jpg?resize=900,600 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/home01-mission.jpg?resize=1200,800 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1348px) 100vw, 1348px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/technology\/\" class=\"mobile:grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-3 topic-card margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-topic-card hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"skrim-overlay skrim-overlay-dark skrim-left mobile-skrim-top padding-3 display-flex flex-align-end flex-justify-start z-200\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"hds-topic-card-heading heading-29 color-spacesuit-white line-height-sm margin-top-0 margin-bottom-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Technology<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle class=\"color-nasa-red\" cx=\"16\" cy=\"16\" r=\"16\"><\/circle><path d=\"M8 16.956h12.604l-3.844 4.106 1.252 1.338L24 16l-5.988-6.4-1.252 1.338 3.844 4.106H8v1.912z\" class=\"color-spacesuit-white\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1017\" height=\"671\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/nasa_technology1.png?w=1017\" class=\"attachment-1536x1536 size-1536x1536\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/nasa_technology1.png 1017w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/nasa_technology1.png?resize=300,198 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/nasa_technology1.png?resize=768,507 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/nasa_technology1.png?resize=400,264 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/nasa_technology1.png?resize=600,396 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/nasa_technology1.png?resize=900,594 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1017px) 100vw, 1017px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/technology-transfer-spinoffs\/\" class=\"mobile:grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-3 topic-card margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-topic-card hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"skrim-overlay skrim-overlay-dark skrim-left mobile-skrim-top padding-3 display-flex flex-align-end flex-justify-start z-200\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"hds-topic-card-heading heading-29 color-spacesuit-white line-height-sm margin-top-0 margin-bottom-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Technology Transfer & Spinoffs<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle class=\"color-nasa-red\" cx=\"16\" cy=\"16\" r=\"16\"><\/circle><path d=\"M8 16.956h12.604l-3.844 4.106 1.252 1.338L24 16l-5.988-6.4-1.252 1.338 3.844 4.106H8v1.912z\" class=\"color-spacesuit-white\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"985\" height=\"746\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/spinoff_2023.png?w=985\" class=\"attachment-1536x1536 size-1536x1536\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/spinoff_2023.png 985w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/spinoff_2023.png?resize=300,227 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/spinoff_2023.png?resize=768,582 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/spinoff_2023.png?resize=400,303 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/spinoff_2023.png?resize=600,454 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/spinoff_2023.png?resize=900,682 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 985px) 100vw, 985px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NASA-funded molecular research enables better disease detection<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":258,"featured_media":641378,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nasa_hds_core_meta_l10n":"en-US","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_editor":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_contacts":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_topic":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_related_articles":[],"hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_id":"","hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_type":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_x":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_y":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_gallery_images":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[3339,3817,2827],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[4200],"coauthors":[11766],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Tech Today: Synthetic DNA Diagnoses COVID, Cancer","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/stmd\/tech-transfer\/tech-today-synthetic-dna-diagnoses-covid-cancer\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/stmd\/tech-transfer\/tech-today-synthetic-dna-diagnoses-covid-cancer\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/firebird-kate-web.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/firebird-kate-web.jpg"},"articleSection":"NASA Directorates","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Rebecca Carroll"}],"creator":["Rebecca Carroll"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["Technology","Technology Transfer & Spinoffs","Technology Transfer","Spinoffs"],"dateCreated":"2024-04-04T16:20:58Z","datePublished":"2024-04-04T16:20:58Z","dateModified":"2024-04-04T16:20:59Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"Tech Today: Synthetic DNA Diagnoses COVID, Cancer\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/stmd\/tech-transfer\/tech-today-synthetic-dna-diagnoses-covid-cancer\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"post\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/firebird-kate-web.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2024-04-04T16:20:58Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"NASA Directorates\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"Technology,Technology Transfer & Spinoffs,Technology Transfer,Spinoffs\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"Rebecca Carroll\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":2,"time_ago":"1 month","featured_image":{"id":641378,"file":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/firebird-kate-web.jpg","title":"firebird-kate-web","alt":"Princeton University undergraduate Kate Sheldon in a lab, holding a rectangular device in both hands","caption":"Princeton University undergraduate Kate Sheldon, doing summer work at Firebird Diagnostics, holds a prototype of the Agnostic Life Finder, or ALF, which was developed to seek life on Mars without making Earth-specific assumptions about molecular biology."},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/641367"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/258"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=641367"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/641367\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":641552,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/641367\/revisions\/641552"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/641378"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=641367"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=641367"},{"taxonomy":"news-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-tags?post=641367"},{"taxonomy":"internal-terms","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-terms?post=641367"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=641367"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}