A UCSC team is developing a nanopore-based RNA liquid biopsy approach for early cancer detection using its Locate-seq method, with validation support from Oxford Nanopore Technologies. The work focuses on applying the workflow to esophageal precancer and cancer, aiming to translate RNA signals into an actionable, minimally invasive screening tool. The core technical step is validating whether Locate-seq can reliably capture disease-associated RNA changes in the relevant clinical context and then reproduce those results across specimens. Oxford Nanopore’s involvement signals alignment with sequencing platforms that can be integrated into next-generation diagnostics workflows. If the approach sustains sensitivity and specificity in larger prospective settings, it could broaden RNA-based liquid biopsy options beyond DNA-only modalities—particularly for cancers where early molecular changes may be reflected in transcript signatures.