Science Unlocked: publication picks from August 2026
In this monthly series, we share a selection of recent publications that use Oxford Nanopore sequencing to unlock novel insights. Spanning adaptation to genetic bottlenecks, cell-free DNA sequencing, and microbiome research, these studies showcase the advances in scientific research made possible by Oxford Nanopore technology.
Featured in this edition:
1. How has an invasive species overcome a severe population bottleneck?
2. 16S sequencing catches what culture misses
3. 53,501 genomes from the global wastewater microbiome
4. Intraoperative paediatric brain tumour classification
5. Could Alzheimer’s be detected with a blood test?
Animal genetics
1. Genomic structural variation rescues a classic biological invader from a population bottleneck (Science Advances)
How do invasive species adapt despite severe genetic bottlenecks? Osborne et al. used Oxford Nanopore sequencing to explore this question in highly inbred brown treesnakes (Boiga irregularis) from Guam. Their analysis revealed that structural variants (SVs) contribute a significant source of genetic diversity — impacting nearly eight times more of the genome than single nucleotide variants (SNVs).
Regions linked to immunity and olfaction retained localised variation, reflecting a known strategy in reptiles for choosing genetically dissimilar mates through scent. Notably, SV density was highest in gene promoters, pointing to DNA repair and meiotic recombination as likely drivers in restoring diversity. This work underscores the power of any-length nanopore reads to capture SVs and expose complex variation that SNV-focused metrics often miss.
‘The extended contiguity of our nanopore reads was particularly critical for spanning repetitive regions, such as [transposable elements], which accounted for 54.5% of all SVs detected.’
Osborne, C. A. et al.1
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Figure 1. SVs represent a significant source of genetic diversity in the inbred B. irregularis. (A) Histogram displaying the length distribution of deletion and insertion SVs detected in nine B. Irregularis from Guam. (B) Bar chart showing the relative proportions of the genome affected by SNVs and SVs. Figure modified from Osborne et al.1 under Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0.
For more animal genetics research, see our animal sequencing applications page.
Microbiology
2. Validation of a 16S nanopore sequencing approach for bacterial identification in a routine clinical laboratory (Frontiers in Microbiology)
Culture-based pathogen identification is slow, misses non-culturable infections, and may not resolve polymicrobial infections. Here, Van de gaer et al. compared culture with Oxford Nanopore 16S sequencing in a routine clinical laboratory setting, using our microbial amplicon barcoding kit.
The nanopore-based workflow accurately identified a broad range of bacterial isolates and detected clinically relevant bacteria missed by culture, including pathogens in culture-negative and polymicrobial samples. The researchers found 16S sequencing to be a cost-effective and robust approach, and with same-day results possible for urgent cases, it shows a great deal of potential in supporting established diagnostic pathways.
‘This study demonstrates that the implementation of 16S rRNA sequencing is feasible in a routine clinical laboratory setting and provides added value for diagnostic microbiology, especially in culture-negative and polymicrobial infections.’
Van de gaer, O. et al.2
Download our microbial amplicon barcoding workflow overview for streamlined identification of bacteria, archaea, and fungi.
3. The MiDAS global genome catalogue: 53,501 MAGs from the global activated sludge microbiome (bioRxiv)
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) rely on complex microbial communities, but fragmented short-read assemblies make it difficult to link microorganisms to their metabolic pathways and roles in treatment processes. Using nanopore sequencing, Liu et al. analysed samples from 83 WWTPs worldwide.
They recovered 53,501 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), including 22,277 high-quality MAGs, and established the microbial database of activated sludge (MiDAS). Spanning all 250 core prokaryotic genera, this global resource enables species-level analysis of metabolic pathways in wastewater treatment and could help optimise processes such as nitrogen removal.
‘The MiDAS genome catalogue provides a framework for linking taxonomy, metabolism and ecological roles in wastewater treatment systems globally.’
Liu, L. et al.3
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Figure 2. (A) Geographical and process-type distribution of MiDAS samples involved in this study. C = carbon removal; C,N = carbon removal with nitrification; C,N,DN = carbon removal with nitrification and denitrification, C,N,DN,P = carbon removal with nitrogen removal and enhanced biological phosphorus removal. (B) Schematic of the primary data gathered from MiDAS samples. Figure redistributed from Liu et al.3 under Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0.
Download our application note to learn the importance of generating highly complete and contiguous MAGs from a complex microbiome.
Watch our masterclass on microbial community sequencing for guidance on selecting the right workflow for your research question.
Cancer research
4. How ‘Sturgeon’ guides the surgeon in paediatric neuro-oncology (Neuro-Oncology)
Central nervous system (CNS) tumours are the leading cause of cancer-related death in children. Currently, tumour classification relies on analysing tissue biopsies after tumour removal. Accurate classification is essential to guide how much tissue to remove during resection, but because this information is unavailable during the first surgery, repeat procedures are often required.
Sie et al. developed Sturgeon, an AI bioinformatics tool that uses nanopore DNA methylation data to classify tumours rapidly. In this study, it correctly classified 87.2% of cases within 90 minutes of sample collection — within the surgical timeframe. Overall, Sturgeon’s classifications supported the intended surgical strategy, but for 14.3% of the research samples, it showed future potential to alter surgical decisions. This nanopore-based tool therefore has the potential to reduce the rate of second-look surgeries in the future.
‘Intraoperative use of Sturgeon provides essential guidance toward the most optimal neurosurgical strategy for paediatric CNS tumours and thereby has great potential to contribute to better clinical outcome.’
Sie, M. et al.4
Explore our cancer research resources.
Human genetics
5. Circulating neuron-derived cfDNA for blood-based detection of Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative conditions (Frontiers in Neurology)
Methylation patterns can reveal the tissue of origin of cell-free DNA (cfDNA), but neuron-derived cfDNA is only a small proportion of circulating cfDNA and can be further depleted by bisulfite-based sequencing methods. Capturing these scarce signals could improve the biological insight offered by blood-based biomarkers for neurodegenerative disease research.
Pollard et al. used nanopore sequencing to analyse cfDNA from plasma research samples, without chemical conversion or PCR amplification. They successfully identified cfDNA methylation signatures associated with different neuronal populations and neurodegenerative diseases. In the future, this method has the potential to support blood-based detection and monitoring of neurodegenerative diseases.
‘These results support the feasibility of native cfDNA nanopore methylation sequencing as a flexible platform for brain-derived cfDNA analysis and more cell-type-informed investigation of neurodegeneration from peripheral blood.’
Pollard, C. et al.5
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Figure 3. Neuron-like cfDNA classification aligns with selective neurodegeneration across diseases. Cell-of-origin classifiers for (A) cortical, (B) dopaminergic, and (C) spinal motor neurons were applied to cfDNA sequencing data from blood plasma of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (AD, n = 35), mild cognitive impairment (MCI, n = 5), Parkinson’s disease (PD, n = 37), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, n = 39). Each classifier showed elevated neuron-derived cfDNA in its corresponding disease. Figure redistributed from Pollard et al.5 under Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0.
Watch Chad Pollard (Wasatch Labs, US) present this research at ACMG 2026.
Read our case study on how researchers at the NIH Center for Alzheimer's and Related Dementias are sequencing hundreds of brain research samples and uncovering thousands of previously unseen transcripts.
Apply Oxford Nanopore sequencing to your own research questions and you'll never see sequencing the same way again. Explore the nanopore sequencing solution.
Oxford Nanopore Technologies products are not intended for use for health assessment or to diagnose, treat, mitigate, cure, or prevent any disease or condition.
Osborne, C. A. et al. Genomic structural variation rescues a classic biological invader from a population bottleneck. Sci Adv 12(30):eaed3656 (2026). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aed3656
Van de gaer, O. et al. Validation of a long-read 16S rRNA-gene sequencing approach for analysis of clinical samples and bacterial identification in a routine clinical laboratory. Front Microbiol 17:1870167 (2026). DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1870167
Liu, L. et al. The MiDAS global genome catalogue: 53,501 long-read MAGs representing all core prokaryotic genera in the global activated sludge microbiome. bioRxiv 737647 (2026). DOI: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.10.737647
Sie, M. et al. How ‘Sturgeon’ guides the surgeon in paediatric neuro-oncology. Neuro Oncol. noag187 (2026). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/neuonc/noag187
Pollard, C. et al. Circulating neuron-derived cfDNA for blood-based detection of Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative conditions. Front. Neurol. 17:1822479 (2026). DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2026.1822479
- Published on: September 16 2026
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