Preliminary Agenda

Digital PCR, at its core, is simply a single molecule counting method that quantitatively measures absolute DNA and eliminates the need for standard curves. However, it has already shown potential to be a disruptive technology in many areas of diagnostics. The Second Annual Digital PCR event will bring together industry visionaries and early adopters to discuss digital PCR's capabilities, limitations, and future applications. Researchers will examine applications in cancer biomarker and rare mutation detection, non-invasive fetal DNA analysis, and infectious disease quantification, particularly in HIV. Novel digital PCR devices from startups and academic labs will be showcased. Other topics to be addressed include digital PCR integration with existing technologies, solutions for processing difficult samples as well as increasing sample throughput, and guidelines and best practices for digital detection.

Scientific Advisory Board

Kerry R. Emslie, Ph.D., Bioanalysis Group Manager, National Measurement Institute, Australia

Jim Huggett, B.Sc. (Hons), Ph.D., Science Leader, Nucleic Acid Metrology, Molecular & Cell Biology, LGC

Ross Haynes, Biological Science Technician, Biochemical Science Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology

GOING DIGITAL: WHAT CAN IT DO?

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION:

Digital PCR: A Paradigm Shift in Molecular Measurement

Jim Huggett, B.Sc. (Hons), Ph.D., Science Leader, Nucleic Acid Metrology, Molecular & Cell Biology, LGC

What Validation is Required for Digital PCR Measurements?

Kerry R. Emslie, Ph.D., Bioanalysis Group Manager, National Measurement Institute, Australia

Technical Explanation and Theory of Digital PCR: What Can Go Wrong and Why?

Ross Haynes, Biological Science Technician, Biochemical Science Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology

dPCR Applications in the Diagnostic Virology Laboratory

Keith R. Jerome, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Head, Virology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington; Associate Member, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division

BEAMing and Droplet Digital PCR Analysis of Mutant IDH1 mRNA in Glioma Patient Serum and Cerebrospinal Fluid Extracellular Vesicles

Leonora Balaj, Scientist, Neurology and Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Neuroscience Program, Harvard Medical School

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8

MINORITY TARGET DETECTION

Molecular Analysis of Liquid Biopsies in Biomarker Driven Clinical Research

Filip Janku, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Investigational Cancer Therapeutics (Phase I Clinical Trials Program), The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Detection of Somatic Mutations in Circulating Tumor DNA

Nickolas Papadopoulos, Ph.D., Professor, Oncology; Director, Translational Genetics, Ludwig Center for Cancer Genetics & Therapeutics, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center

ABSOLUTE QUANTITATION

Functional HIV Cure after Very Early ART of an Infected Infant

Deborah Persaud, M.D., Associate Professor, Pediatrics, Infectious Disease; Director, Infectious Disease Fellowship Program, Johns Hopkins

Application of Droplet Digital PCR for the Investigation of the Latent HIV Reservoir

Douglas Richman, M.D., Director, Center for AIDS Research; Professor, Pathology and Medicine, UC San Diego School of Medicine

A Novel HIV Therapeutic Approach: Immune Reconstitution in HIV Infected Subjects by Infusion of Zinc Finger Nuclease Mediated CCR5 Modified CD4+ T-Cells

Gary Lee, Ph.D., Scientist, Team Leader, Sangamo BioSciences

COPY NUMBER VARIATION

Digital PCR Assessment of Clinically Actionable Variants in Human Disease

Hanlee P. Ji, M.D., Assistant Professor, Medicine, Division of Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9

INTEGRATING DIGITAL PCR WITH EXISTING TECHNOLOGIES

VENDOR PANEL: Implementing Digital PCR in the Lab

• Which devices are best for specific applications?
• How can digital PCR integrate into a diagnostic lab's workflow?
• Optimizing your assays for digital PCR
• Interpreting the data readout
• Result validation

Speaker to be Announced, Bio-Rad

Additional Sponsorship Opportunities Available

EMERGING DIGITAL DETECTION TECHNOLOGIES

SlipChip for Digital Nucleic Acid Amplification

Feng Shen, Ph.D., Director, Research & Development, SlipChip LLC

HistoMosaic and Virtual Color Multiplexing Pave the Way to High-Throughput Analysis of Genetic Heterogeneity and Overexpression in Tissue Samples

Emil Kartalov, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California

A Method to Perform Selective DNA or RNA Extraction from Single Cells and Digital PCR in the Same Wells

Hai-Qing Gong, Associate Professor, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University