In mid-February 2018, it was anounced that Lucigen Corporation had been acquired by LGC, a UK-based global life sciences firm. Formerly doing business as Microgen Corporation, Lucigen Corporation is involved with the development and manufacturing of life science research products and technologies for gene cloning, protein expression and nucleic acid amplification with a focus on simplifying genomics. Academic and industrial researchers worldwide use Lucigenâs CloneSmart technology and BigEasy Cloning Kits to improve DNA cloning reliability and efficiency, allowing successful capture of genes that have previously been impossible to clone using standard methods. The firm is one of the first companies to isolate viral DNA polymerases from boiling hot spring environments. These novel enzymes are uniquely suited for rapid isothermal amplification of RNA and DNA, making them ideal for POC or home testing diagnostic applications. Partnering with several clinical collaborators, Lucigen is developing simple, low-cost viral tests based upon this technology