What specific hardware, associated with portable sequencing, aims to increase equity in detection capabilities?

Pocket-sized devices like the MinION sequencer

The goal of achieving global equity in genomic surveillance relies on democratizing the technology, moving it out of centralized, well-funded laboratories. The miniaturization of sequencing technology has been key to this effort. The MinION sequencer, developed from nanopore technology, is a pocket-sized device that dramatically reduces the size, cost, and infrastructural needs for sequencing. This portability allows analysis to occur at the point-of-care or directly in the field, particularly in regions previously underserved, such as parts of Africa. This shift supports capacity-building efforts, like the Africa Pathogen Genomics Initiative, by making the necessary hardware affordable and deployable where infectious diseases are most endemic.