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.

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.

Biomarker Bulletin: May 23, 2011

May 23, 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

Biomarker Bulletin: April 19, 2011

April 19, 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

Biomarker Bulletin: April 5, 2011

April 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
  • Biomarker Combinations Successfully Discriminate Between Asthma and COPD

    Researchers in Australia have identified a panel of four biomarkers that may aid in the diagnosis and management of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The study, published in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, found that the biomarkers may be used in different combinations to successfully identify patients with either of the airway diseases.

  • Plasma Biomarkers in Liver Cancer Refine Stratification of Patient Risk

    According to an Internal Medicine News report, data presented at the 2011 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting on gastrointestinal cancers in January sponsored by the American Society of Clinical Oncology suggests that a simple blood test may improve on systems conventionally used to estimate prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

  • Xention to Characterize Biomarkers for AF Consortium

    Cambridge-based biopharmaceutical company Xention announced yesterday that it is a partner in the new multidisciplinary atrial fibrillation research consortium, the European Network for Translational Research in Atrial Fibrillation (EUTRAF). The consortium has been awarded a 12 million euro grant to engage in atrial fibrillation (AF) research.

  • Five Metabolite Levels May Improve Risk Prediction for Diabetes

    Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) recently identified five amino acids whose levels indicated increased diabetes risk in a general population. Moreover, the biomarkers could differentiate, among individuals with traditional risk factors such as obesity, those most likely to actually develop diabetes. The findings are published in the journal Nature Medicine.

  • Endothelial Microparticles (EMPs) in the Blood Useful for Identifying Early Signs of Emphysema

    According to a recent study published in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, small particles in the blood released by cells lining the lungs may help clinicians diagnose emphysema in its earliest stages. The particles, called endothelial microparticles (EMPs), are shed during disease progression as pulmonary capillaries in the lungs are injured and die.