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Contents GENengnews.com • Volume 36, Number 17 • October 1, 2016 6 Sticky Ends 8 Industry Watch 11 Products & Services 19 Discovery & Development 22 Genomics & Proteomics 33 Bioprocessing 41 Molecular Diagnostics 46 New Products 52 Calendar 53 People 54 Best Science Apps News Features Tutorials Drug Discovery Tutorial 16 DNA-Free CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing Dharmacon, part of GE Healthcare, has developed the Edit-R CRISPR-Cas9 platform. In combination with the zebrafish model, it can enable rapid and functional gene-editing experiments. Assay Tutorial 18 Rapid, Sensitive Cancer Biomarker Screening in cfDNA Using its Droplet Digital PCR platform, Bio-Rad identifies cancer mutations in cell-free DNA and shows how treatment efficacy may be tracked without resorting to serial biopsies. OMICS Tutorial 24 Detect Rare Alleles in NGS with Molecular Tags Containing over 16 million unique molecular tags, a library preparation kit from Rubicon Genomics can enable confident mutation calls during NGS- based analyses of cell-free DNA. Bioprocessing Tutorial 36 Novel Concept for Production of mAbs A fed-batch manufacturing approach developed by Natrix Separations relies on single-use technol- ogy to flexibly scale capacity in the downstream processing of monoclonal antibodies. Columns Corporate Profile 8 Better Protein-Polymer Hybrids Decorating a protein with a polyethylene glycol can be tricky. For more control over bioconjugate production, says Biohybrid Solutions, try growing polymers from the protein's surface. Bioprocessing Perspectives 34 Average Batch Failure Rate Worsens The trend toward lower average batch failure rates is stalling. In manufacturing, the main problem is contamination. In clinical development, however, the chief culprit is equipment failure. 35T H A N N I V E R S A RY F E AT U R E 42 Swiping and Tapping for Better Health The doctor is not just "in," but "in your pocket"— so long as you keep your smartphone charged. Handheld digital technology, says Eric Topol, M.D., is individualizing healthcare. Advances in Next- Generation Sequencing In next-generation sequencing, the importance of short-read technology is unquestioned, but other technologies matter, too. These other technologies include long-read technology, single-cell genomics, and cancer liquid biopsies. 1 Optimizing Protein Expression Practical solutions to expression problems encompass RNA interference, the glycoengineering of Chinese hamster ovary systems, the harmonization of transient and stable expression, and the use of alternative platforms. 26 PCR from the Lab to the Point of Care Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology is becoming more powerful, user-friendly, and portable—all at once. While there are practical limits to these trends, they shouldn't prevent PCR from revolutionizing point-of-care diagnostics. 12 Dynamic Shifts in Precision Medicine In pharmacogenomics, data never rests. Constantly updated, aggregated, analyzed, and reassessed in new clinical contexts, data is powering evidence-based prescribing systems. Data flows, however, need expert management. 1