RNA Biomarker Development: From Sample to Insight

Precision medicine offers to transform patient care by targeting treatment to those with most to gain. To date the most significant advances have been at the level of DNA, for example, the use of somatic DNA alterations as diagnostic indicators of disease and for prediction of pharmacodynamic response. Development of RNA expression signatures as biomarkers has been more problematic. While RNA expression analysis has yielded valuable insights into the biological mechanisms of disease, RNA is a more unstable molecule than DNA, and more easily damaged or degraded during sample collection and isolation. In addition, RNA levels are inherently dynamic and gene expression signatures are extraordinarily complex. Recently, much progress has been made in identifying key changes in gene expression in cancer and other diseases, as well as identifying expression signatures in circulating nucleic acid that have the potential to be developed into diagnostic and prognostic indicators.

In the first half of this webinar, Dr. Lader will review strategies for accessing the expression profiles of mRNA, lncRNA, and miRNA in both solid tissues and liquid biopsies. Sample handling, input requirements, nucleic acid isolation techniques, and profiling and data normalization strategies will be discussed.

Following this overview, Dr. Dear will describe the application of human micronome profiling in liquid biopsies to the development of an early minimally invasive biomarker for detection of early stage acetaminophen poisoning in patients. Acetaminophen poisoning is among the most common causes of medication-related poisoning and death. The maximum amount per diem for adults is 4 grams (4000 mg), a dose easily exceeded due to the inclusion of acetaminophen in many over the counter medicines. From cohort selection and sample collection, to expression profiling and data normalization, and finally, the development of a candidate miRNA expression signature which can be used as a surrogate marker, Dr. Dear will describe his progress in the development of a novel miRNA-signature based non-invasive biomarker.

Speakers

Eric Lader, Senior Director of Product Development, QIAGEN

Dr. Eric Lader is a molecular geneticist by training and is currently Senior Director of Product Development at QIAGEN. In his 13 years at QIAGEN, Dr. Lader has led the development of tools for functional genomics, gene expression profiling, miRNA profiling and characterization, as well as GeneRead targeted panels for next generation sequencing of DNA and RNA. As the inventor of RNAlater, Dr. Lader is a pioneer in the field of nucleic acid stabilization for basic research and molecular diagnostics.

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James Dear, Senior Clinical Lecturer in Clinical Pharmacology, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh/Edinburgh University

Dr. James Dear is Senior Clinical Lecturer in Clinical Pharmacology at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh/Edinburgh University and Chief Investigator on the Markers and Paracetamol (Acetaminophen ) Poisoning Study (MAPP), a UKCRN portfolio study funded by MRC and co-investigator on the Scottish and Newcastle Antiemetic Pretreatment for Paracetamol Poisoning study.

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