CONFERENCE SERIES: Biomarkers & Diagnostics
Recorded at: microRNA as Biomarkers and Diagnostics
About this Product:
Recorded during the microRNA in Biomarker and Diagnostic Development session at the Seventh Annual microRNA in Human Disease and Development meeting in Cambridge, MA, this digital course includes presentations covering the use of microRNAs to detect pathological conditions and diagnose malignancies, the impact of microRNAs on cancer treatment decision making and therapeutics, and information on microRNA deregulation in solid tumors.
About this Product:
5 Presentations
Over 165 Slides
125 Minutes
Individual Copy: $345
Site License: $1380
Agenda At A Glance:
microRNAs: Biomarkers for Cancer Therapy
Glen J. Weiss, M.D., Co-Head, Lung Cancer Unit, The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen); Director, Thoracic Oncology, TGen Clinical Research Services at Scottsdale Healthcare
A single microRNA can impact hundreds of targets and can affect pathways controlling oncogenic processes. Data will be presented illustrating how using microRNA can impact cancer treatment decision making, the validation of microRNAs associated with resistance and/or sensitivity to chemotherapy and targeted therapy and how microRNAs could be used as therapeutics.
Biography: Dr. Glen Weiss is a physician-scientist with a joint appointment at TGen Clinical Research Services at the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare and TGen. He is board certified in internal medicine and medical oncology. Serving as an interface between laboratory investigators and clinical research aspects, Dr. Weiss helps accelerate clinical application of new developments in cancer therapy and diagnostics. He sees and enrolls patients in early-phase clinical studies and is actively involved in laboratory research in the Lung Cancer Unit in the Cancer and Cell Biology Division at TGen.
Multiplexing microRNA and Protein Expression Analysis for Cancer Diagnostics
Lorenzo F. Sempere, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Norris Cotton Cancer Center
Visualization of microRNA expression within individual cells by in situ hybridization provides an independent tool to clinically validate results of high-throughput expression profiling experiments. Here we describe a rapid and sensitive fluorescence-based assay with multiplexing capability for co-detection of microRNA and clinically relevant protein markers on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens. We provide several examples in which the cancer cells, and supportive and/or reactive microenvironment elements, are the principal source of microRNA deregulation in solid tumors. We discuss implementation of a fully automated platform from detection to expression analysis of selected biomarkers for high-throughput microRNA-based diagnostic applications.
Biography: Dr. Sempere is currently a Research Assistant Professor of Medicine at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Dr. Sempere received his Ph.D. in Genetics in the laboratory of Dr. Victor Ambros at Dartmouth Medical School, where he continued to complete postdoctoral training in the laboratory of Dr. Charles Cole in the Department of Biochemistry. Early work of Dr. Sempere focused on the characterization of temporal expression patterns of microRNAs at an evolutionary and organismal scale to gain insight into phylogenetic and developmental roles of miRNAs in animals. Recent work of Dr. Sempere focuses on the characterization of spatial expression patterns of microRNAs in model organisms and clinical specimens aimed at understanding the etiological contribution of microRNAs to cancer and other human diseases.
Extracellular microRNA: A New Source of Biomarkers
Kai Wang, Ph.D., DABT, Senior Research Scientist, Institute for Systems Biology
microRNAs are small, non-coding RNAs that play an important role in regulating various biological processes in cells. Recently, some miRNAs have also been found in extracellular space. We examined the presence of miRNAs in a variety of normal human body fluids, from tears to breast milk, with the goal of assessing the distribution of miRNAs and examining the potential use of miRNAs as biomarkers. Our results indicate that miRNAs are present in all fluids tested and show distinct compositions in different fluid types. As an example, with a limited number of urine samples from individuals with several physiopathological conditions, we demonstrated the potential for using changes in the urine miRNA spectrum as biomarkers. This finding suggests the possibility of using the levels of specific miRNAs in body fluids to detect various pathological conditions.
Biography: Dr. Kai Wang is a molecular biologist with over 20 years experience in academia and industry, and is experienced in various molecular measurement technologies. He is also a diplomat of the American Board of Toxicology. He is interested in the application and biological function of microRNAs, and conducts miRNA related studies at the Institute for Systems Biology.
microRNA and Thyroid Cancer
Honey Reddi, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Medicine, Mayo Clinic
Thyroid cancer accounts for 96% of endocrine malignancies affecting about 3 million individuals in the U.S. Pre-operative assessment of thyroid nodules by currently used cytological methods poses a significant clinical challenge due to a 20% non-diagnostic rate. This results in unnecessary surgical intervention, wherein only 8-17% of cases are malignant, thereby prompting the need for additional methods of detection. We have identified a panel of miRs that is currently being tested for its potential to be used as a robust clinical assay for pre-operative diagnosis of malignancy and non-invasive follow-up of thyroid cancer patients. Also, some of the mechanisms by which these individual miRs are differently regulated will be discussed.
Biography: Honey V. Reddi is currently an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic, Division of Endocrinology. She obtained her Ph.D. from the International Center for Biotechnology and Hamdard University, New Delhi, India. Following her post-doctoral training in Molecular Virology and Cancer Biology at Northwestern University, Dr. Reddi moved to the Mayo Clinic to work on understanding the molecular regulation of follicular thyroid cancer. She is currently also working towards the development and validation of molecular markers and novel viro-therapeutics for accurate pre-operative detection and treatment of thyroid cancer respectively. Dr. Reddi's work has been presented at various national and international forums and has resulted in several publications in peer-reviewed journals, review articles and a provisional patent. Dr. Reddi has received research grants from the American Thyroid Association, Wendy Will Case Cancer Fund and the Fraternal Order of Eagles.
Towards Enhancing the Shelf-Life of ex vivo Stored Therapeutic Blood Cells: Study of microRNA-Target mRNA Interactions in Platelets
C.D. Atreya, Ph.D., Associate Director for Research, Office of Blood Research and Review, CBER, FDA
Recently we have shown that miRNAs do exist, and their profiles change in platelets during ex vivo storage. Here we demonstrate selected miRNA-mRNA interactions that have relevance to the apoptotic pathway. Understanding these interactions would help facilitate pathways for developing strategies to enhance the shelf-life of the platelets, the most sought-after therapeutics in transfusion medicine.
Biography: Dr. C.D. Atreya is the Associate Director for Research for the Office of Blood Research and Review at the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and he also holds an adjunct professor position in the Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Tropical Medicine, George Washington University, Washington, DC. Dr. Atreya authored 60 peer-reviewed scientific publications and currently serves as Associate Editor for BMC Microbiology and BMC Research Notes. He is also on the editorial boards of BMC Virology, Open Virology Journal and Foodborne Pathogens and Disease. Dr. Atreya has been with the FDA for the past 16 years. Prior to his recent move to the Office of Blood Research and Review within CBER, FDA, Dr. Atreya’s regulatory expertise at FDA included product evaluation of pediatric viral vaccines such as vaccines against rotavirus and rubella virus. Dr. Atreya’s scientific and research expertise for the past 25 years has been in the area of microbiology, cell biology and host-pathogen interactions at the cellular molecular level.
About the Conference:
The role of microRNA in regulating mammalian development and disease is now well established. miRNAs represent a novel class of targets for therapeutic and diagnostic development, currently not fully exploited by the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Cambridge Healthtech Institute’s Seventh Annual microRNA in Human Disease and Development meeting is specifically designed to address the role of miRNA in human development and disease, and to explore the impact of this new research for drug and diagnostic development. The meeting covers progress in identifying human miRNA, technologies used for miRNA profiling, and the latest research in linking miRNA to human disease. Opportunities for using miRNA as diagnostic biomarkers and a novel class of targets for therapeutic development is explored.