Biomarker Bulletin: July 5, 2011

July 5, 2011 | by

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.

Google Health Closing the Book on Health Records

June 25, 2011 | by

Google announced yesterday that it is giving up on its vision to help people access their health and wellness information online [1]. The internet search giant will discontinue Google Health at the end of the year.

Google Health

Biomarker Bulletin: June 20, 2011

June 20, 2011 | by

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

  • Results of Highly Cited Biomarker-disease Associations Often Overestimated

    Although new biomarkers are regularly proposed to serve as potential determinants of disease risk, prognosis or response to treatment, many markers only get evaluated in one or a small number of studies. A review in the June 1st edition of JAMA reports that the results of highly cited biomarker-disease associations that appear in major journals are often substantially overestimated, with effect sizes exceeding those found when the association is evaluated in larger studies.

  • Roche, UCLA Announce Biomarker Research Collaboration

    Roche said last week that it will provide UCLA scientists with a range of genomics tools as part of a research collaboration to study stem cells and cancer, and for the development of new predictive biomarkers for future therapeutics and diagnostics for a host of diseases.

  • Stemina Biomarker Discovery, Children’s Hospital of Orange County Sign Agreement to Study Autism

    Stemina Biomarker Discovery announced on Friday that it has signed an agreement with Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) to conduct a study of neural cells from autistic patients using Stemina’s proprietary biomarker discovery platform.

  • Indiana CTSI, GVK Biosciences Partner to Provide National Access to Biomarkers Database

    The Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CTSI), a statewide collaboration of Indiana University, Purdue University and the University of Notre Dame, as well as public and private partnerships, which facilitates the translation of scientific discoveries in the lab into clinical trials and new patient treatments in Indiana and beyond, announced on Friday that they have partnered with GVK Biosciences. GVK Biosciences will provide researchers across the United States access to their clinical biomarker database.

  • Biomarker Briefs: June 13, 2011

    Biomarker Briefs is an occasionally recurring series highlighting particularly interesting articles on biomarkers and/or personalized medicine. This edition includes articles on personalized medicine, a new online tool for analyzing personal genome data, a blood test for depression, and a kidney injury biomarker initiative.

Surviving Summer: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly

June 15, 2011 | by

Summer is the hottest of the four seasons. At the summer solstice, which occurs on June 21st in the Northern Hemisphere and December 22nd in the Southern Hemisphere (when it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere, it is winter in the Southern Hemisphere and vice versa), the days are longest and the nights are shortest. Summer is a great time to spend time outdoors and practice a healthy lifestyle. There are plenty of chances to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, get some sun, and get in shape, whether it be by playing a sport, exercising or just working around the yard.

Healthy lifestyle

Health Highlights – June 6th, 2011

June 6, 2011 | by

Health Highlights is an occasionally recurring series focused on particularly interesting articles from credible sources of health and medical information that we follow & read. For a complete list of recommeded sources, see our links page.

Health Highlights