UCSC researchers are developing a nanopore-based RNA liquid biopsy approach for early cancer detection using their Locate-seq method, and the program is receiving validation support from Oxford Nanopore Technologies. The effort focuses on applying Locate-seq to esophageal precancer and cancer models, with the goal of improving early detection readouts from circulating RNA. For assay developers, nanopore compatibility and workflow performance are crucial because RNA targets can be fragile and require robust sample handling to maintain signal fidelity. Oxford Nanopore’s involvement increases the odds that the chemistry and sequencing pipeline will be optimized for scalable sample processing. This is a pipeline-relevant development for liquid biopsy platforms aiming to bridge biology discovery with clinically actionable sensitivity.