How does nanopore miRNA detection compare to ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay)?

ELISA is an antibody-based detection method commonly used to measure protein biomarkers (like PSA or CA-125) but is not typically used for miRNA detection because miRNAs are too small and numerous to develop highly specific antibodies for each one. MiRNA detection by ELISA would require hybridization-based capture rather than antibody binding, and the results would still require amplification for sufficient sensitivity. The nanopore approach is fundamentally different: it measures the physical properties of individual molecules (size, charge, osmium-tag pattern) as they translocate through pores — a direct, label-defined, amplification-free measurement. The nanopore approach achieves lower limits of detection, less data spread, and more precise quantification than any ELISA-based miRNA method.