Erisyon is a biotechnology company that has commercialized the world’s first single-molecule protein sequencing technology, pioneering a new era in proteomics with unmatched precision and scalability. The company’s platform, based on its proprietary Fluorosequencing method, enables direct, molecule-by-molecule analysis of proteins—offering powerful applications for early disease detection, diagnostics, and therapeutic development.
Founding and Background
Erisyon Inc. was founded in 2018 in the United States, emerging from over a decade of research at the Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology at The University of Texas at Austin.
The founding team includes:
- Prof. Eric Anslyn – Co-founder, Professor of Chemistry
- Prof. Edward Marcotte – Co-founder, Professor of Molecular Biosciences
- Talli Somekh – Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
- Jag Swaminathan – Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
- Angela Bardo – Vice President of Product
Erisyon’s mission is to translate academic breakthroughs into commercial technology that allows direct understanding of biological systems at the molecular level.
Core Technology: Fluorosequencing
Fluorosequencing is a single-molecule protein sequencing technique that extends the revolution of DNA sequencing into the realm of proteins.
The method involves:
- Fragmenting proteins into peptides.
- Labeling specific amino acids with fluorescent tags.
- Sequencing each peptide step-by-step through optical imaging.
The resulting “fluorosequence” data is matched to reference protein databases to identify individual proteins and their modifications.
Key Advantages:
- Single-molecule sensitivity
- High throughput (hundreds of millions to billions of molecules analyzed simultaneously)
- Low sample requirement and quantitative precision
- Detection of low-abundance proteins beyond the reach of mass spectrometry or antibody-based assays
Applications
Fluorosequencing enables early detection of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease by distinguishing healthy from pathological forms of proteins like alpha-synuclein. This work, supported by the Michael J. Fox Foundation, demonstrates the potential for identifying biomarkers years before symptom onset.
The technology identifies tumor neoantigens that interact with the immune system, even when present at very low abundance. This enhances the design of personalized cancer immunotherapies by mapping antigenic peptides undetectable by traditional proteomics.
Erisyon’s method helps investigate viral glycosylation patterns—a key mechanism for immune evasion. By analyzing the surface glycan structures of viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, the platform provides early-warning insights and aids vaccine development strategies.
In agricultural research, Fluorosequencing allows the protein-level study of plant stress responses, including post-translational modifications like phosphorylation. These insights guide the development of stress-tolerant crop varieties and contribute to food security and agricultural sustainability.
The platform facilitates molecular-level mapping of drug–protein interactions, enabling the design of safer and more effective therapeutics. It also supports enzyme engineering for eco-friendly industrial bioprocesses.
Scientific Contributions
Erisyon’s foundational research has been featured in leading journals, including:
- Nature Biotechnology
- ACS Chemical Biology
- PLOS Computational Biology
These studies have demonstrated breakthroughs in single-molecule protein identification, peptide sequencing chemistry, and computational modeling.
Impact and Vision
Erisyon represents a paradigm shift in proteomics—moving beyond genetic data to directly decode biological function at the protein level. Its Fluorosequencing technology combines high sensitivity, accuracy, and scalability, enabling transformative advances in:
- Early disease diagnosis
- Personalized medicine
- Comprehensive molecular understanding of life systems
