TrueLAMP™ Technology
Colorimetric LAMP for molecular detection
Colorimetric loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a simple, cost-effective, and highly sensitive method for detecting pathogens and genetic markers.
In theory, LAMP is highly specific. In practice, however, it often suffers from nonspecific primer amplification in the absence of template, leading to compromised specificity and false positives.
TrueLAMP™ overcomes this barrier. Our novel colorimetric LAMP reagent blocks nonspecific amplification while preserving robust target detection. This breakthrough unlocks the full potential of LAMP as a reliable molecular detection tool.
Develop your point-of-care or point-of-need molecular detection and diagnostic with
ambient-stable TrueLAMP™ 8-Strips!
How Colorimetric LAMP works
The principle of colorimetric LAMP. Colorimetric LAMP reagent contains a sensitive pH indicator, phenol red. Phenol red's color changes from purple to yellow as hydrogen ion concentration increases during DNA amplification.
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a powerful technique for amplifying and detecting specific DNA or RNA sequences with high sensitivity and specificity — all at a constant temperature (typically 65 °C).
Unlike PCR, which requires thermal cycling, LAMP uses 4–6 specially designed primers that recognize distinct regions of the target sequence. These primers drive a strand-displacement reaction that creates looped DNA structures, rapidly generating large amounts of amplified DNA.
In colorimetric LAMP, a pH-sensitive dye (such as phenol red) is added to the reaction. As amplification proceeds, hydrogen ions are released, lowering the pH and changing the solution’s color — from pink/purple (negative) to yellow (positive).
The color shift is visible to the naked eye and can even be documented with a smartphone, eliminating the need for complex instruments. This simplicity makes colorimetric LAMP ideal for:
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Point-of-care diagnostics
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Field or remote testing
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Resource-limited settings
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At-home self-testing
Colorimetric LAMP has already been applied to detecting viruses, bacteria, parasites, and genetic mutations. With innovations like TrueLAMP™, it holds tremendous potential to deliver reliable, accessible diagnostics worldwide.
The Problem: Nonspecific Primer Amplification
Primer amplification by Bst DNA polymerase and TrueLAMP™ polymerase. Reactions 31-34 were performed with Bst DNA polymerase, while Reactions 35-38 were performed with TrueLAMP™ polymerase, in the absence of template.
LAMP has enormous potential as a research and diagnostic tool, but its broader use has been limited by a persistent problem: nonspecific primer amplification in the absence of template DNA or RNA.
This spurious amplification undermines specificity and reliability, creating false positives even in no-template controls (NTCs). The impact can be severe:
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Researchers often suspect cross-contamination, leading to a lengthy troubleshooting process. They may purchase new reagents, implement a separated prep room and reaction room, adhere to the myth of never opening LAMP tubes, and initiate testing with UDG/dUTP systems, incurring significant time and financial costs.
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When contamination is ruled out, they redesign primer sets—only to discover that no primer set fully avoids the problem.
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Additives and protocol tweaks rarely prevent it.
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In many cases, researchers must add costly downstream verification (sequencing, probes, CRISPR detection) just to confirm results.
For too many labs, the frustration ends the same way: abandoning LAMP projects entirely.
How TrueLAMP™ Works
TrueLAMP™ amplification with no template, DNA, RNA or virion templates. Reactions 1 and 2 had no template. Reactions 3 and 4 had SARS-CoV-2 amplicon DNA. Reactions 5 and 6 included SARS-CoV-2 RNA, while reactions 7 and 8 contained HPV16 virions.
Traditional LAMP often suffers from nonspecific primer amplification in the absence of template, leading to false positives and unreliable results.
TrueLAMP™ solves this problem.
The TrueLAMP™ buffer contains a proprietary inhibitor, precisely formulated to work with the TrueLAMP™ polymerase. Together, they block nonspecific primer amplification in no-template controls (NTCs) while still allowing robust amplification of true targets.
This means:
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No template → No amplification
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True target present → Strong, specific amplification
Interpreting Results:
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Negative result → Reaction remains purple/red/pink (no amplification)
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Positive result → Reaction shifts to orange/yellow (amplification)
TrueLAMP™ works with both DNA and RNA targets, making it a versatile and dependable solution for molecular detection and diagnosis in the lab, field, or point of care.
Smart mug water bath for LAMP testing. An inexpensive 14 oz (414 mL) temperature-controlled smart coffee mug serves as a portable incubator, maintaining a stable 65 °C for colorimetric LAMP reaction. 8-strip tubes are held submerged by a metal wire ring; this ensures the 10 µL reaction volumes are heated evenly from all directions to prevent evaporation and condensation. By utilizing TrueLAMP™ technology to fully inhibit nonspecific primer amplification, strict endpoint timing is eliminated. This setup allows for flexible incubation ranging from 30–90 minutes to overnight, making it a robust and convenient solution for laboratory, POC, classroom or at-home use.
bioRxiv preprint article on TrueLAMP
Suppressing Primer-Driven Nonspecific Amplification in LAMP Using TrueLAMP