In this Science Snapshot episode of Absolute Gene-ius, Lisa Crawford and Jordan Ruggieri revisit conversations with researchers working at the limits of molecular detection. Dr. Nikhil Ram Mohan explains how digital PCR revealed viral RNA signals that were difficult to detect by qPCR and how absolute quantification helped expose subtle differences. Dr. Clarence Lee discusses finding known biomarkers and mutations in complex samples, including circulating tumor DNA and cell and gene therapy applications. Dr. Parker Wilson shares how digital PCR helped verify rare Y chromosome loss first observed by single-cell sequencing, while Dr. Jesus Mingorance describes using multiple PCR approaches to investigate difficult-to-measure HIV-2 viral load. Finally, Wendy Wang brings the concept of partitioning to life with a memorable analogy for understanding copy number and structural variation.

Together, these stories show that rare-target research is often about more than simply asking whether a signal is present. It is about choosing the right tools to detect it, measure it confidently, and decide what that small signal might mean.

Visit the Absolute Gene-ius page to learn more about the guests, hosts, and science featured in the series. Explore how Applied Biosystems™ QuantStudio™ Digital and Real-Time PCR Systems support research across neuroscience, oncology, agriculture, and more.

Chickens cough, coronaviruses persist, and molecular methods can reveal more than meets the eye.

In this episode of Absolute Gene-ius, University of Calgary researcher Fathima Ishara Isham joins Lisa Crawford and Jordan Ruggieri to explore infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), a coronavirus that affects poultry health and can disrupt egg production. Ishara explains how IBV can move beyond the respiratory tract, why vaccination strategies differ for broilers and layers, and the practical challenges of animal studies involving large sample sets and multiple time points. She also walks through her study comparing qPCR and digital PCR for IBV detection, including quantification range, limit of detection, precision, specificity, and testing of real-world tissue, swab, air, water, and dust samples. Her findings highlight how digital PCR can detect low-level viral signals in samples that tested negative by qPCR, raising new questions about persistence and infectivity.

In Career Corner, Ishara shares her path from Sri Lanka to Canada, the value of mentorship, and why saying “I don’t know” can be a strength. Plus, she recalls a proud cell-culture milestone and one illuminating immunofluorescence mistake.

Visit the Absolute Gene-ius page to learn more about the guests, hosts, and science featured in the series. Explore how Applied Biosystems™ QuantStudio™ Digital and Real-Time PCR Systems support research across neuroscience, oncology, agriculture, and more.

Choosing between qPCR and digital PCR isn't about finding a winner, it's about asking the right scientific question.

In this Science Snapshot, Jordan Ruggieri and Lisa Crawford revisit insights from researchers including Corbin Schuster, Nikhil Ram Mohan, Brandi Kiel Reese, Pavla Brachova, Nehemiah Seth Alvarez, Raquel Muñoz, Rounak Feigelman, and Brian Bahder to explore how qPCR and dPCR work together across a wide range of applications. From environmental DNA and pathogen surveillance to COVID viral RNAemia, reproductive biology, CAR-T cell monitoring, and assay development, each guest demonstrates why qPCR often provides the speed, flexibility, and throughput needed for discovery, while digital PCR delivers the analytical sensitivity, precision, and absolute quantification required for challenging targets. Together, these examples illustrate that the strongest workflows often combine both technologies, allowing researchers to move seamlessly from broad screening to highly confident quantitative measurements.

Visit the Absolute Gene-ius page to learn more about the guests, hosts, and science featured in the series. Explore how Applied Biosystems™ QuantStudio™ Digital and Real-Time PCR Systems support research across neuroscience, oncology, agriculture, and more.