CacheDNA Develops Polymer for Room Temperature Biomolecule Storage

CacheDNA, a biotechnology company spun out from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has announced the development of a new polymer technology that allows for the preservation of biomolecules such as DNA at room temperature. This innovation, revealed on September 12, 2025, addresses a longstanding challenge in the life sciences industry, which has relied on cold storage for decades to maintain the integrity of biological samples.

The reliance on freezers and cold-chain logistics has posed significant barriers, especially in remote or resource-limited settings. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the fragility of this system became evident as vaccines and other biologics were lost due to thawing during transport. CacheDNA’s technology aims to make sample storage and transport more accessible and reliable, regardless of location or infrastructure.

The company’s founders, including former MIT postdoc James Banal and Professor Mark Bathe, developed a dense, hydrophobic polymer that forms an impenetrable barrier around DNA, effectively vacuum-sealing it at the molecular level. Unlike traditional amber, which is porous, this synthetic polymer prevents water and enzymes from degrading the stored biomolecules. The process involves encapsulating DNA in a liquid polymer, which then solidifies into a glass-like block. To retrieve the DNA, a specific molecule and detergent are used to dissolve the polymer without damaging the genetic material.

CacheDNA’s technology has already been distributed in the form of alpha preservation kits to over 100 research groups worldwide. Feedback from these early adopters highlighted the universal need for reliable, non-refrigerated storage, with applications ranging from field sample collection to long-term archival. The company is now expanding its suite of preservation solutions to include RNA and proteins, supported by a recent grant from the National Science Foundation.

The implications of this breakthrough are far-reaching. By removing the dependency on cold storage, CacheDNA’s polymer could democratize access to precision medicine, enable large-scale biobanking, and facilitate research in regions previously excluded due to infrastructure limitations. As Professor Bathe notes, this could lead to a “Google Books” for nucleic acids, vastly increasing the diversity and scale of biological data available for research and clinical use.

Local researchers and hospitals have expressed strong interest, particularly in areas with high humidity or unreliable electricity, where traditional storage methods are impractical. The technology also promises to reduce costs and environmental impact by eliminating the need for energy-intensive freezers and dry ice.

CacheDNA’s innovation represents a significant step forward in biomolecule preservation, with the potential to transform global health research and personalized medicine by making sample storage more robust, scalable, and inclusive.