Why Maptamer.org?

Jan 15, 2023

While pursuing my Master's thesis at the Shea Lab at the University of Michigan, I encountered a pressing need for a comprehensive and reliable database of existing aptamers. Our lab was developing an aptamer-based biosensor and we wanted to demonstrate the versatility of aptamers by swapping out one aptamer for another to detect different targets. In our search, we stumbled upon an aptamer for our intended target buried in a corporate catalog, hidden deep in the Google search results.

I realized that there was a crucial gap in the availability of a centralized repository of aptamers, with existing databases plagued by inaccessibility, non-functionality, or limited scope. This inspired me to create a better resource that would meet the three key goals of comprehensiveness, permanence, and visibility.

Maptamer.org was created to solve this problem, offering a comprehensive and easily accessible database of aptamers, aggregated from multiple sources and supported by community editing tools and manual entries. Our database is designed to be big enough to allow for reliable searching and to include only the target and reference information, eliminating the need for manual extraction from papers. Additionally, we have created lists of aptamer labs and companies, making it easier to discover new aptamers and encouraging wider participation in the aptamer research community.

Maptamer.org is built on Google's cloud servers and we have secured the domain name for 10 years, ensuring the permanence of the database. Additionally, we have made the raw data publicly available for anyone to mirror or improve. To increase visibility, we encourage researchers and companies to include a link to Maptamer.org on their websites and promote it through publications and word of mouth.

We believe that Maptamer.org has the potential to revolutionize aptamer research by providing a comprehensive, reliable, and accessible resource for the aptamer community. I invite you to join us in this endeavor by linking to Maptamer.org from your lab or company website and adding your aptamers and lab/company information to our listings. Let's work together to make Maptamer.org the go-to resource for aptamer research!

— Ben Skubi