Dry blood DNA storage on a matrix

Qiagen recently presented a method of dry blood sample storage as an alternative to storage in freezers.

According to the manufacturer, this method differs from similar ones by supplying a protective matrix that wraps around the sample as it dries up, a process known as anhydrobiosis. The kit comes in two versions: tubes or 48-well plates. In each sample, 50–200 microliters of fresh or frozen blood can be dried, together with anticoagulants used during blood sampling. It can then be stored and shipped at room temperature. In the manufacturer’s “accelerated aging” tests, the encapsulated DNA, whether endogenous or viral, was stable for an equivalent of at least three years. On reconstitution, it is claimed that up to two micrograms of DNA can be recovered from 50 microliters of blood. This DNA is then ready for downstream applications, including PCR.