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Published on January 22, 2015
A study, funded by the Movember Foundation and conducted by scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London, has revealed several genetic mutations that may trigger the development of testicular cancer, in addition to uncovering a gene that may aid tumors in promoting resistance to existing drug therapies.…
Published on December 10, 2014
Noninvasive molecular diagnostics based on cell-free DNA analysis are advancing as more methods have been developed to detect and quantitate nucleic acids from blood and urine. Recent studies suggest that genomic alterations in solid cancers can be characterized by massively parallel sequencing of circulating cell-free tumor DNA released from cancer…
Published on November 19, 2014
Genomic technologies enabling relatively simple, rapid, and costeffective high-throughput testing of RNA-based multiplexed signatures in blood samples would greatly facilitate wide-scale adoption of molecular diagnostic tests in clinical medicine. Tests like CardioDx’ Corus CAD and CAREDx’ Allomap represent the first generation of products designed to improve diagnosis, predict therapeutic response, monitor drug responses in patients, and determine disease prognosis from a simple blood…
Published on November 5, 2014
Tailoring healthcare decisions based on biological information represents the promise of personalized medicine. A key hurdle slowing progress toward tailored therapeutics is developing appropriate biomarkers for diagnostics, prognostics, and prediction. Despite much research, only a trickle of biomarkers has made it into clinical practice. Researchers, however, are pursuing novel avenues…
Published on October 22, 2014
Researchers are developing a host of new uses for molecular imaging techniques—including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)—that are already commonly used in patient care. Once these techniques have picked up new capabilities in the laboratory, they will return to the…
Published on October 22, 2014
In October 2011, the Sequenom Center for Molecular Medicine (SCMM) became the first laboratory in the United States to offer next-generation sequencing of circulating cell-free (ccf) DNA testing for Down syndrome (trisomy 21). This commercial launch followed the publication of an external clinical validation study demonstrating that testing could identify…
Published on October 22, 2014
The application of genomics in cancer has led to an improved understanding of the disease. To date, 125 driver genes have been discovered—71 tumor suppressors and 54 oncogenes—that promote tumor growth through 12 cellular signaling pathways.1 These pathways have become the focus of small molecule inhibitor drugs, primarily targeting kinases.…
Published on October 10, 2014
An exhaustive analysis of fatty acids from a diabetes-protected animal model has revealed a whole new class of molecules. These molecules, dubbed fatty acid hydroxyl fatty acids, or FAHFAs, enhance insulin sensitivity and glucose control. Better yet, they also reduce inflammation. Ordinarily, elevated fatty acids are associated with insulin resistance…
Published on September 22, 2014
How may far-separated objects quickly come into proximity and directly influence each other? In this universe, wormholes are just the thing, at least on the very largest scales. When space curves upon itself, once-distant locations may intersect, say cosmologists and sci-fi gurus, making the universe a more interesting place—one needn’t…
Published on September 10, 2014
There are huge benefits to genomic tumor assessment, both for better treatment now, and later, if first-line treatments fail. But I don’t think many cancer patients—and even some physicians—fully understand how important tumor sequencing can be to successful cancer treatment. Yet. This is not surprising. Outside of a few tests…
Published on September 4, 2014
Our goal for this analysis was to understand the landscape of point-of-care (POC) diagnostics, and we believe that an excellent methodology to apply is to analyze the en bloc set of publications in this space. Highlights: The POC diagnostics field is a global growing space. We have characterized the landscape…
Published on August 27, 2014
The National Institutes of Health has issued a final NIH Genomic Data Sharing (GDS) policy to promote data sharing as a way to speed the translation of data into knowledge, products, and procedures that improve health while protecting the privacy of research participants. The final policy was posted in the…
Published on August 8, 2014
Advancing the work of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), a large team of researchers from multiple institutions performed a comprehensive analysis of molecular data from thousands of patients representing 12 different types of cancer. The analysis pointed to an alternative system for classifying cancer. Instead of defining cancers according to…
Published on July 25, 2014
Qiagen has acquired an exclusive global license from the University of Tokyo for the biomarker SF3B1. The company said it sees potential for developing companion diagnostics to guide myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) treatment with new anticancer compounds under development that target the SF3B1 gene. Mutations of this gene, which Qiagen said…
Published on July 17, 2014
Beckman Coulter said today it agreed to acquire the clinical microbiology business of Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics for an undisclosed price. Siemens’ clinical microbiology business specializes in microbial identification and antibiotic sensitivity testing (ID/AST). The business operates with an installed base of over 6,000 instruments globally, and is part of Siemens’…