Deep Phenotyping of the Human Liver for NAFLD (NASH) Target Discovery

‘Big data’ is delivering on its promise to improve drug development, with machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) decoding disease much cheaper than previous technologies, and high-throughput workflows decoding network biology much faster. Ochre Bio’s approach is firmly rooted in such computational and systems-driven learning. However, the company’s goal is also to decode substantially better, by deep phenotyping of human organs.

Deep phenotyping combines genetics, advanced tissue imaging, cellular genomics (single-cell and spatial sequencing) and machine learning to study disease and gene systems at the tissue level. As population genetics grows in importance as a tool to de-risk targets, deep phenotyping is following suit to fill in the important functional details. At Ochre Bio, this means the deep phenotyping of human biobanks, high throughput human micro-organ (in vitro) models, and entire human organs maintained in organ transplant perfusion devices.

Lexogen provides RNA-Seq services at the expert level, covering the whole workflow from consultation to RNA extraction, library preparation, next-generation sequencing and data analysis. As the inventors of world-class technologies, Lexogen provides highest quality analyses for standard gene expression experiments, as well as for challenging samples and applications. They routinely handle a wide range of RNA input, from standard quality to FFPE-extracted and degraded RNA, stemming from sources like tissues, cell culture, biofluids and single cells. This is matched by standardized and advanced data analyses, as well as the option for automation to handle large-scale projects.

Register for this webinar to hear Dr. Quin Wills provide a brief overview of functional genomic trends in drug discovery, followed by a recently completed project to spatially sequence 1000 human livers over the early NAFLD spectrum. He’ll end with how he believes this can transform the study of age-related chronic diseases that have long silent clinical trajectories before presenting with complications.

Speakers

Quin Wills, Co-founder and CSO, Ochre Bio

Quin is an MD, with further degrees in genetics, mathematics and computational biology and a doctorate in systems genomics. He founded his first liver drug genomics company 15 years ago, has steered research consortia that use genomics tools such as single-cell sequencing and most recently founded the advanced genomics department for a leading pharma before returning to the world of biotech with Ochre Bio.

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Lukas Paul, Product Manager, Lexogen

Lukas Paul worked at Lexogen in several roles, co-developing kits, services and scientific affairs before becoming a product manager. He holds a PhD in Biomolecular Sciences from the University of Manchester, completed a PostDoc at the University of Vienna, and contributed as Staff Scientist at the Max F. Perutz Laboratories. His academic work includes studies on RNA-protein interaction, enzymatics, RNA degradation, translation, ribosome recycling, catalytic RNA and fluorescence assay development. In his current position at Lexogen, Lukas Paul manages the product portfolio part that includes services, external controls, metabolic labeling, data analysis and custom design.

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