Whole genome amplification (WGA) is a technology for non‐selective amplification of the whole genome sequence, first appearing in 1992. Its primary purpose is to amplify and reflect the whole genome of trace tissues and single cells without sequence bias and to provide sufficient DNA template for subsequent multigene and multilocus analysis, along with comprehensive genome research. WGA provides a method to obtain a large amount of genetic information from a small amount of DNA and provides a valuable tool for preserving limited samples in molecular biology. WGA technology is especially suitable for forensic identification and genetic disease research, along with new technologies such as next‐generation sequencing (NGS). In addition, WGA is also widely used in single‐cell sequencing. Due to the small amount of DNA in a single cell, it is often unable to meet the amount of samples needed for sequencing, so WGA is generally used to achieve the amplification of trace samples. This paper reviews WGA methods based on different principles, summarizes both amplification principle and amplification quality, and discusses the application prospects and challenges of WGA technology in molecular diagnosis and medicine.

Portable nucleic acid detection (PNAD) systems are performed for sample processing, amplification and detection automatically in an individual device realizing "sample in, answer out." For this goal, numerous function modules should be integrated in a diminutive device, in which temperature controller is one of the most important modules. In a nucleic acid detection process, both sample processing and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) require fast and accurate temperature control to increase concentration and purity of the extraction product and to improve amplification efficiency. In this paper, a dual-channel temperature controller for PNAD systems is developed, which contains a printed circuit board (PCB) and an integrated control program with a fast and accurate control strategy. According to the principle of nucleic acid detection based on magnetic nanoparticles, the controller can work in different modes such as high-precision heating control for nucleic acid extraction, rapid thermal cycle control for PCR, and rate adjustable constant heating/cooling control for melting curve. Evaluatively, the average heating/cooling rate of the module can exceed about 6 C/s, while the temperature fluctuation was less than ± 0.1°C, which can meet the demands of PNAD systems very well.

Cancer is still a major disease that threatens human life. Although traditional cancer treatment methods are widely used, they still have many disadvantages. Aptamers, owing to their small size, low toxicity, good specificity, and excellent biocompatibility, have been widely applied in biomedical areas. Therefore, the combination of nanomaterials with aptamers offers a new method for cancer treatment. First, we briefly introduce the situation of cancer treatment and aptamers. Then, we discuss the application of aptamers in breast cancer treatment, lung cancer treatment, and other cancer treatment methods. Finally, perspectives on challenges and future applications of aptamers in cancer therapy are discussed.

Neurodegenerative diseases manifest as progressive loss of neuronal structures and their myelin sheaths and lead to substantial morbidity and mortality, especially in the elderly. Despite extensive research, there are few effective treatment options for the diseases. MicroRNAs have been shown to be involved in the developmental processes of the central nervous system. Mounting evidence suggest they play an important role in the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. However, there are few reviews regarding the roles of miRNAs in neurodegenerative diseases. This review summarizes the recent developments in the roles of microRNAs in neurodegenerative diseases and presents the application of microRNA-based methods in the early diagnosis of these diseases.

Cadmium ion (Cd²⁺) is one of common environmental pollutants, which can be enriched in organisms through the food chain and eventually cause chronic toxicity in humans. Therefore, a strict monitoring tool for Cd²⁺ is highly required. In this study, we screened the specific candidate aptamers of Cd²⁺ based on magnetic beadssystematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment method (Mag-SELEX). Firstly, a high enrichment ssDNA library was obtained after eight selection rounds. Then the affinity of fifteen candidate aptamers was compared, and found that Cd-14 had highest affinity with dissociation constant (Kd) of 23.02±3.53 μM. The Cd-14 was applied to an electrochemical aptasensor based on black phosphorus/Poly-L-Lysine with a linear range of 0.001–100 nM and good specificity.

Canine parvovirus (CPV) is one of the main pathogens causing toxic diarrhea in Chinese dogs, is the cause of large-scale epidemic of dogs, and poses a great threat to the dog industry in China. Rapid, sensitive, and specific CPV testing facilitates the timely diagnosis and treatment of sick dogs. The aim of this study was to build a LAMP–CRISPR/Cas12b platform for CPV detection. The loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique was combined with CRISPR-Cas12b analysis to establish a “two-step” and “one-tube” CRISPR/Cas12b rapid CPV method, respectively. The detection system was constructed with specific LAMP primers and single guide RNA (sgRNA) for the highly conserved short fragment of the CPV gene, which could be detected within 1 h without cross-reaction with the other viruses causing canine diarrhea. The detection limits of both “two-step” and “one-tube” CRISPR/Cas12b reactions were 10⁻¹ copies per μL, which was 100 times more sensitive than qPCR and LAMP. In order to achieve point-of-care testing (POCT) of CPV, a one-tube LAMP–CRISPR/Cas12b nucleic acid extraction and detection platform based on magnetic nanoparticle enrichment technology was established to achieve “sample in-result out”. The results of this method for simulated samples were compared with those of quantitative real-time PCR; the results showed 100% consistency, and the time was shorter, which could be used to detect the diseased dogs earlier and provide a basis for clinical diagnosis. The LAMP–CRISPR/Cas12b method established in this study provides a sensitive and specific method for rapid detection of CPV, and provides technical support for rapid diagnosis of CPV.