Meeting Modern Lab Demands with Flexible Any-Read Length Sequencing

In 1977, biology was forever changed when Frederick Sanger developed chain-termination sequencing and decoded the first complete genome of the bacteriophage φX174.¹ What began as a breakthrough technique in a handful of specialist labs has since evolved into one of the most powerful tools in modern science. However, as demands intensify, researchers increasingly require platforms that can deliver rapid, high-resolution results while seamlessly adapting to diverse workflows, providing the necessary flexibility to scale with their needs.

Resolving Complexity with Long-Read Sequencing

Modern genomics relies on two distinct sequencing approaches, short-read and long-read technologies. Short-read methods achieve high accuracy, yet their relatively short read lengths can struggle to reconstruct repetitive regions and resolve complex genomic sequences. Long-read sequencing, which provides increasingly high accuracy alongside substantially longer read lengths, enables simplified genome assembly and improved detection of complex structural variants.

Long-read advantages are particularly relevant in microbial genomics, where many genome annotations have historically been generated using legacy short-read technologies and currently remain fragmented drafts. For plasmids and other mobile genetic elements (MGEs), which frequently carry antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), short-read assemblies may split ARGs across multiple contigs, obscuring gene context. By providing a genome-wide, contiguous view, long-read sequencing can resolve ARG architecture, including gene location (genome or plasmid), copy number, structural organization, and mobility potential across populations.² For labs requiring more than draft genomes, investing in long-read platforms is essential. However, selecting a versatile platform is also crucial for workflow adaptability.

The Challenge of Inconsistent Demand

For many laboratories, the primary hurdle is not managing data volume, but rather the ebbs and flows of demand consistency. Research needs are rarely static, as one week might require the rapid turnaround of a smaller number of microbial isolates during a suspected outbreak, while the next involves processing dozens of samples for a standardized targeted screening panel.

Traditionally, this has forced a difficult choice when investing in instrumentation. Smaller platforms offer speed for low-throughput runs but become bottlenecks as sample numbers climb. Conversely, high-output instruments often necessitate batching large numbers of samples to remain cost-effective, a practice that inevitably delays results and slows decision-making. For labs running multiple parallel sequencing projects, platforms that lack flexibility can reduce operational efficiency.

GridION™: Versatility by Design

Aligning with the “one sequencer, many workflows” philosophy, Oxford Nanopore Technologies developed GridION™, a high-throughput, any-read sequencing platform. This benchtop device can run up to five of the same MinION™ flow cells used in portable sequencing, either simultaneously or independently, thereby addressing the challenge of inconsistent demand.

By harnessing the platform’s on-demand scalability, researchers can process multiple samples at once, dedicate different flow cells to entirely different projects, or scale output for larger workloads. Oxford Nanopore Technologies offers read-length flexibility, ranging from short reads to ultra-long reads for a range of applications, including microbial genetics and targeted sequencing approaches, such as carrier screening. It also enables direct detection of DNA modifications such as methylation (e.g., 5mC and 5hmC) without the need for bisulfite conversion or other library preparation steps.

In microbial genetics, the GridION supports flexible workflows that adapt to changing project needs, offering rapid turnaround for urgent sequencing runs, while maintaining the capacity for large-scale genomic studies. Real-time data generation is initiated as nucleic acid material passes through the nanopore, enabling immediate interpretation of sequencing outputs (e.g., whether a pathogen is present), rather than waiting for batch processing or run completion. This allows rapid monitoring of quality metrics and detection of structural or single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) during the sequencing run, and early termination once sufficient coverage is achieved.

The long-read capability supports high-contiguity assemblies and can reduce ambiguity in genome reconstruction. For instance, using the GridION platform as part of a high-accuracy nanopore sequencing workflow, a 5 Mb bacterial genome was resolved into a finished sequence with >99.99 percent accuracy at 75 times the coverage, without the assistance of short-read sequencing for error correction.³

The Future of Flexible Research

As sequencing becomes ever more embedded in the fabric of biological inquiry, a platform’s value is increasingly measured by its adaptability. By combining the resolution of long-read nanopore technology with multi-flow-cell design, the GridION provides a scalable solution that grows alongside a lab’s ambitions. Whether characterizing a novel pathogen or executing a high-throughput screening pipeline, researchers now have a tool capable of meeting the evolving challenges of modern science.

GridION and MinION are registered trademarks or the subject of trademark applications of Oxford Nanopore Technologies plc in various countries. Information contained herein may be protected by copyright, patents or patents pending of Oxford Nanopore Technologies plc. Oxford Nanopore Technologies products are RUO. Products labelled/branded as Oxford Nanopore Diagnostics may be RUO or may be regulated as in‐vitro diagnostic devices in some jurisdictions, please check individual product labelling.