Biomarker Bulletin: January 30, 2012

Biomarker Bulletin is an occasionally recurring update of news focused on biomarkers aggregated at BiomarkerCommons.org. Biomarkers are physical, functional or biochemical indicators of normal physiological or disease processes. The individualization of disease management — personalized medicine — is dependent on developing biomarkers that promote specific clinical domains, including early detection, risk, diagnosis, prognosis and predicted response to therapy.

Biomarker Commons

Biomarker Bulletin: July 5, 2011

Biomarker Bulletin is an occasionally recurring update of news focused on biomarkers aggregated at BiomarkerCommons.org. Biomarkers are physical, functional or biochemical indicators of normal physiological or disease processes. The individualization of disease management — personalized medicine — is dependent on developing biomarkers that promote specific clinical domains, including early detection, risk, diagnosis, prognosis and predicted response to therapy.

Biomarker Commons

  • TCGA Study Brings Ovarian Cancer Patients Closer to Personalized Medicine

    In the June 30 issue of Nature, researchers from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Research Network provide a large-scale integrative report on genetic mutations and pathways that distinguish the most common and aggressive type of ovarian cancer from other types of ovarian cancer as well as from other solid tumors. The disease is not defined by one or few cancer-driving genes but rather numerous mutations that individually occur in only a small number of cases. Given the degree of genomic disarray, the study results suggest that genomic structural variation is the driver of ovarian cancer. The findings may be helpful in guiding physicians to choose experimental treatments that are most likely to target molecular alterations effectively in patients with high-grade serous ovarian adenocarcinoma.

  • BGI Expanding Proteomics Services to Include Mass Spectrometry

    Earlier this month, Adam Bonislawski at GenomeWeb’s Proteomonitor reported that China-based BGI intends to expand its proteomics offerings and buy ~50 new mass spectrometers over the next two years. This diversification into clinical and drug-development services is a forward-thinking move for the genomics/bioinformatics giant and one that should be taken seriously by current proteomics service providers.

  • DHMRI Establishes Immune Monitoring Laboratory for Biomarker Discovery and Development

    Last week, the David H. Murdock Research Institute (DHMRI) announced that it acquired the Immune Tolerance Institute, Inc. (ITI) as a next step in its continued growth. The DHMRI provides integrated, state-of-the-art genomic, cellular, proteomic and bioinformatics technology platforms as a major resource for a range of academic and industry partners undertaking both preclinical and clinical research.

  • NINDS to Fund Biomarker Clinical Study for Spinal Muscular Atrophy

    Earlier this month, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) announced a funding opportunity and invited applications for a study of candidate biomarkers in Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). The goals of the SMA biomarker validation study are to: (1) evaluate biomarkers and clinical outcomes longitudinally across a spectrum of SMA cases; (2) establish a clinical outcomes and biomarker database; and (3) contribute samples to the NINDS biorepository at the Coriell Institute for Medical Research to capture and share methods and pre-competitive data.

  • SciClips Launches Biomarker and Drug Discovery Protocols Database

    SciClips is an open innovation platform that enables scientists and researchers to collaborate and share research and ideas. Following up on a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker database released earlier this year, SciClips has launched a second database constisting of biomarker and drug discovery research protocols.

Biomarker Bulletin: March 21, 2011

Biomarker Bulletin is an occasionally recurring update of news focused on biomarkers aggregated at BiomarkerCommons.org. Biomarkers are physical, functional or biochemical indicators of normal physiological or disease processes. The individualization of disease management — personalized medicine — is dependent on developing biomarkers that promote specific clinical domains, including early detection, risk, diagnosis, prognosis and predicted response to therapy.

Biomarker Commons
  • MedTrust Online, Avantra Biosciences Collaborate to Involve Clinicians in Assay Development

    MedTrust Online and Avantra Biosciences recently announced that they will collaborate on involving clinicians in early-stage development of molecular diagnostic assays to run on Avantra Biosciences’ QPDx multiplex immunoassay system.

  • Biomarker May Prove Useful for Diagnosing Knee Injury

    Researchers from Stanford University School of Medicine recently discovered a biomarker that may enable doctors to diagnose a common form of knee injury. The study, published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, has identified a specific protein complex in the knee fluid of patients with painful meniscal tears.

  • OncoTrack Launches Search for Novel Genomic Cancer Diagnostics

    A new European consortium called OncoTrack has just launched one of Europe’s largest collaborative academic-industry research projects to develop and assess novel approaches for the identification of new biomarkers for colon cancer. The five year project, Methods for systematic next generation oncology biomarker development, brings together top European academic researchers with a wide range of expertise and partners them with pharmaceutical companies.

  • Discovery of Diagnostic and Prognostic Prostate Cancer Serum Biomarkers Guided by Cancer Genetics

    An interdisciplinary team of researchers from ETH Zurich, University Hospital Zurich and the Cantonal Hospital of St. Gallenhas has defined biomarkers in patients’ blood serum that indicates the presence of prostate cancer. The method used has the potential to be applied to other types of tumors.

  • SciClips Launches Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarker Database

    In the era of personalized medicine, drugs will be targeted to patients based upon his or her unique genetic profile. Biomarkers are a critical component for tailoring treatments to individual patients. Biomarkers will be used as tools for target discovery, noninvasive early stage diagnosis of diseases, for evaluation of mode of action of a drug, dose determination and prediction of the drug effect. They will accelerate not only the development of effective and non-toxic drugs but also help in monitoring patient health and response to treatment.