Armonica Technologies, Inc., an STC.UNM startup commercializing new technology that promises to be a gigantic leap in genomic sequencing capabilities, has received a $1.5 million investment from the state’s Catalyst Fund and local private investors Cottonwood Technology Funds and Tramway Venture Partners. The technology is being developed by UNM Distinguished Professor Emeritus Steven Brueck, Professor Jeremy Edwards, and their team at the Center for High Technology Materials.
The technology, called optical nanopore sequencing, uses nanochannels to deliver single DNA molecules through nanopores. The nanopores slow down DNA translocation enough to produce massively parallel, single-base resolution using optical techniques.
STC CEO Lisa Kuuttila added: “This technology portfolio represents a true disruption in current genomic sequencing technology that could be a huge benefit for the DNA sequencing industry, which is experiencing explosive growth. The company’s research and development are currently being done at UNM’s Center for High Technology Materials (CHTM), a research center with a global reputation for inventing disruptive nanoscale technologies and providing outstanding scientific expertise and technical support. We are very excited about the technology’s potential and believe in the company’s vision. It’s gratifying to see that the state and New Mexico investors believe in the technology and the company’s vision as well.”