More precision.
More insights.
More time.
Unlock more with digital PCR.

Welcome to the Digital PCR Connections Challenge!

How well do you know digital PCR (dPCR), or how does it stack up against other methods? Test your knowledge by uncovering the hidden connections related to digital PCR.

🧠 Your task: Find groups of four words or phrases that share a common thread – be it key concepts, unique benefits or subtle features.
🔍 Our hint: Each set is connected by a theme from this page. Take a quick scroll to brush up on your knowledge before playing. Ready to connect the dots? Start playing.

Select four words that you think form a group, then click "Submit Group".

Chances left

So, you’ve successfully extracted nucleic acids from your precious samples—nice work! Wouldn’t it be great to carry out your most sensitive analyses confidently? With nanoplate digital PCR, you can.

What is it? Why is it better than qPCR? Why is it better than other dPCR methods? How is it a fit for my lab? How can I get to it?

What is it?

Digital PCR (dPCR) is a method for absolute nucleic acid quantification, combining limiting dilution, end-point PCR and Poisson statistics to partition samples into thousands of reactions for precise measurement.

Nanoplate dPCR enhances this by using microfluidic plates to divide samples into nanoliter-sized wells, each serving as an independent PCR amplification chamber.

It only takes one click to find out more.

More information

Why is it better than qPCR?

Better, right? You’ll be surprised how easy it is to transfer and optimize your current qPCR assays to nanoplate dPCR.

Guide to seamless transition

Why is it better than other dPCR methods?

Each dPCR method has strengths suited to specific applications, for example, high accuracy and sensitivity, established method and low-cost potential, but often involve trade-offs in workflow simplicity, time-to-result and throughput. Nanoplate dPCR offers the best balance, but we'll let you decide.

Feature	Nanoplate dPCR	Other dPCR methods (ddPCR, crystal dPCR, chip-based dPCR)
Partition uniformity	High (fixed partitions)	Good (gel-dependent) to variable (droplet size/coalescence)
Contamination risk	Low (sealed partitions)	Moderate (oil-water droplets) to low (gel matrix)
Workflow simplicity	High (qPCR-like)	Moderate (droplet generation) to low (gel preparation)
Automation compatibility	Yes (liquid handlers for plate setup)	Limited to no
Speed of readout	Fast (simultaneous reading)	Moderate to slower (serial droplet reading)
Multiplexing capability	High	Moderate to limited (channel-, software- and master mix-dependent)
Training requirements	Minimal	High (crystal dPCR) to moderate (ddPCR)

How is it a fit for my lab?

The nanoplate-based QIAcuity Digital PCR System automates all the necessary steps for dPCR - partitioning, thermal cycling, imaging or data acquisition - in a single instrument with flexible configurations for every space and budget. It offers the best balance of versatility, scalability and efficiency.

The QIAcuity advantage

The technology fuels applications previously hindered by the limitations of qPCR and other dPCR technologies, especially those that require ease of integration into existing workflows with minimum operational complexity.

Find my application

How can I get to it?

We’re glad you feel inspired! Whether you’re new to digital PCR, considering a switch, or ready to scale up, our experts are here to help. Need us to help convince your boss? Or are you the boss and still need a little more convincing? Either way, we’re ready when you are.

If you’ve read this far and enjoyed what you learned but aren’t quite ready to take the next step, we understand. Before you go, feel free to share this with your fellow scientists—whether they’re next door or across the globe—and follow our channels for updates. Thank you!

More precision. More insights. More time. Unlock more with digital PCR.