Rating: Very Good
Strong Points: Easy to navigate, provides links to gene information
Weak Points: Only 800 genes currently available on the app
Platform: iPhone/iPad
Cost: Free
Small interfering RNAs, or siRNAs, target complementary nucleotide sequences in order to destroy messenger RNA before it can be transcribed into a protein. Given that siRNAs can be used to theoretically knock down any gene of interest, their potential therapeutic applications are enormous and serve as the focus of many ongoing research efforts. Human siRNA Pool provides a tool that allows researchers examining these molecules to quickly search for siRNA pools targeting hundreds of different human genes. The app allows users to search for their intended target by gene name or accession number, which also provides a link to the gene’s information page on the NIH NCBI website. For each gene available, the app lists the sequence of the sense strand for the RNA. The app allows users to save genes of interest and export information they need. Human siRNA Pool is a straightforward app that allows researchers utilizing siRNA to quickly search for their genes of interest.