Federal Grant Award Summary

The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center received a $433,700 Project Grant award from the National Institutes of Health Office of the Director under the Research Infrastructure Programs (CFDA 93.351) to acquire an Oxford Nanopore Technologies PromethION 24 long-read sequencing instrument. The award, dated May 1, 2026 with completion expected by April 30, 2027, supports the purchase and implementation of this third-generation sequencing platform at the institution's Columbus, Ohio facility. The PromethION 24 instrument enables advanced nucleic acid sequencing capabilities including assessment of native DNA and RNA modifications, generation of long continuous sequence reads (ranging from kilobases to over 2 megabases), single-cell sequencing analysis of mRNA isoforms and variants, and adaptive sampling for targeted sequencing workflows. The equipment supports simultaneous operation of up to 24 flow cells, enabling flexible project management and capacity for multiple concurrent research initiatives.

This instrumentation acquisition serves seven major and six minor researchers with current NIH-funded projects at Ohio State University, expanding the institution's research infrastructure capabilities in genomic and transcriptomic analysis. The PromethION 24's advantages over competing long-read sequencing platforms include superior read length capabilities exceeding 25 kilobases, direct RNA sequencing with multi-modification interrogation capability, and access to comprehensive open-source software tools. The Research Infrastructure Programs funding mechanism prioritizes acquisition of cutting-edge scientific instrumentation that advances biomedical research through shared core facility operations and enhanced research capabilities.