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What is targeted next generation sequencing?
Written by Victoria Simms March 31, 2023. reviewed by Celina Whalley April 29, 2024 And why is it used for liquid biopsy samples? Targeted next generation sequencing (NGS) focuses sequencing efforts on specific subsets of the genome. By focusing only on regions of interest (ROIs) such as certain genes, hotspots or coding regions, it is…
Read MoreThe importance of using an optimized pre-analytical workflow for liquid biopsy analysis
Written by Victoria Simms, February 14, 2023, Reviewed by Celina Whalley April 29, 2024. Do you use cell-free DNA as a biomarker for clinical diagnostics or medical research? Find out how using a workflow specifically designed for liquid biopsies can help improve the quantity and quality of your cell-free DNA samples. Liquid biopsies are increasingly…
Read MoreCOVID-19, Flu and RSV – What makes them different?
SEPTEMBER 28, 2022 Despite causing similar symptoms, there are key differences between COVID-19, flu and RSV such as the size and structure of the viral genomes as well as the virion proteins. These differences allow us to design tests to distinguish between these viral infections and develop treatments and vaccines specific to each. Respiratory infections…
Read MoreLiquid biopsy: The future of minimal residual disease detection?
Written by Victoria Simms, March 16, 2022. reviewed by Celina Whalley, April 26 2024. Detection of minimal residual disease Minimal residual disease (MRD) is defined as a very small number of cancer cells that remain in the body during or after treatment.1 This may be locally at the site of surgery, distant at metastatic sites…
Read MoreDetecting multiple respiratory viruses with a single qRT-PCR assay
MARCH 11, 2022 Why a negative COVID test result doesn’t always give the full picture of viral infection. As some of the symptoms of COVID-19 overlap with influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a negative COVID test result doesn’t always give the full picture of infection. Testing for multiple respiratory viruses in one simple qRT-PCR…
Read MoreUnique molecular identifiers: the key to unmasking real low frequency variants
Written by Victoria Simms, January 28, 2022. Reviewed by Celina Whalley. April 26, 2024 How molecular barcodes help remove the PCR and sequencing errors that can mask important low-frequency variations in the analysis of cell-free DNA. Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technologies are powerful tools that have accelerated the rate of life science research for the…
Read MoreTumour Mutational Burden (TMB) and Microsatellite Instability (MSI) as markers for immunotherapy response
Published December 22, 2021 | Reviewed by Victoria Simms on April, 22, 2024 The promise of Immune-checkpoint inhibitor therapies Immune-checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapies have heralded promise of a superior drug response and significantly increased survival for a small proportion of cancer patients across a range of cancers. Their success lies in the inhibition of biological mechanisms that prevent immune cells from attacking other cells. The challenge for immuno-oncology is to identify…
Read MoreLiquid biopsies: epigenetic clues for early cancer detection
Written November 17, 2021. Reviewed by Celina Whalley April 26, 2024 Current screening limitations Cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Despite early diagnosis and treatment being one of the most effective methods to improve outcomes for cancer patients, early detection remains challenging. Screening methods are available for some tumor types, such…
Read MoreNonacus Cell3™ Target technology assists with DNA methylation sequencing
November 11, 2021. Reviewed by Celina Whalley, April 26, 2024. Researchers at The Centre For Genomic and Experimental Medicine, University of Edinburgh, have used Nonacus Cell3 Target technology to undertake targeted DNA methylation sequencing with the aim of finding DNA methylation specific breast cancer markers.1 This work is funded by Cancer Research UK. Nonacus spoke…
Read MoreTracking the evolution of SARS CoV-2 using Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS)
November 3, 2021. Reviewed by Victoria Simms, April 23, 2024. Why monitoring the evolution of the virus is crucial to public health Viral genome sequencing: the background story Rapid whole viral genome sequencing, decoding a pathogen’s entire genome, is essential to public health organisations and epidemiologists for tracking and surveillance of disease outbreaks. Genomic epidemiologists around the…
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