ASSOCIATION OF BIOMOLECULAR RESOURCE FACILITIES
Takara Bio is proud to be a sponsor of ABRF 2026
The 2026 ABRF Annual Meeting brought together key decision makers, technology users, and industry leaders to address important issues for biotechnology core facilities. We discussed how our long-read sequencing, total RNA-seq, and spatial omics solutions help you identify novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
Not affiliated or endorsed by ABRF.
Featured talk
Advancing RNA-seq to the next level with SMART-Seq innovations
In this talk, Dr. Yue Yun introduced the latest innovations in RNA-seq library preparation based on Takara Bio’s foundational SMART-Seq template-switching technology. While maintaining the exceptionally high detection sensitivity for which SMART-Seq chemistry is known, the technology has now been expanded to support major RNA biotypes—including total RNA, mRNA, and small RNA—and to enable compatibility with long-read sequencing platforms, generating cDNA libraries with industry-leading transcript read lengths. Additionally, our experts have adapted SMART-Seq technology to a broad RNA input range, delivering high accuracy and reproducibility with a faster, simplified workflow. Through these SMART-Seq innovations, core facilities can leverage our high-quality RNA-seq method and streamlined workflows to generate meaningful biological insights with high confidence.
Poster presentations
Full-length transcriptomics in cancer research: Unraveling isoform complexity with SMART-Seq
This poster demonstrated how SMART-Seq mRNA Long Read (SS mRNA LR) accurately identified hundreds of novel isoforms and differential isoform usages associated with oncogenic evolution of therapeutic resistance. The updated version of this kit, SS mRNA LR v2, incorporates unique molecular identifiers (UMIs) and robust optimization to achieve 100% longer read-lengths and 50% higher sensitivity than the current leading long-read cDNA preparation method, allowing for improved isoform discovery and transcript abundance studies on longer and lower abundance targets. Integration of short-read splice-junction evidence using the SMARTer-Seq Total RNA approach and the in-development SMART-Seq mRNA Stranded approach further improved the detection and confidence of novel isoforms identified by SS mRNA LR. These three technologies establish a unified ecosystem for high-resolution splice isoform discovery.
Featured technologies
Long-read mRNA-seq
Generate high-quality, long-read, barcoded cDNA from 1–1,000 intact cells or 10 pg–100 ng of total RNA.
Total RNA-seq
Access valuable stranded gene expression data on coding and noncoding transcripts from a wide range of samples and inputs with our stranded Total RNA-seq kits.
Trekker Single-Cell Spatial Mapping Kit
Transform standard single-cell genomics data by incorporating a simple spatial transcriptomics kit upstream of your sequencing workflow.
More cells. More biomarkers. More discoveries.
Want to go from sample prep through data analysis with less hands-on time and stress? Meet the Shasta Single Cell System, which helps researchers find novel biomarkers. Learn how our high-throughput Shasta technologies can inspire the next breakthrough.
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