According to the Mehr news agency, quoted from the University of Tehran, Mohia Mehr Mohammadi, a faculty member of the Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Tehran and winner of the Aburihan Award, said: the technology known as Biopsy The liquid, which is based on tracking tumor markers in the bloodstream, has revolutionized the field of cancer diagnosis and monitoring.
Faculty member Schools Saying that this technology relies especially on the analysis of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and its tumor part known as circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), he added: The main challenge is to overcome the large volume of DNA of natural origin against the small fraction of tumor DNA.
He we on to discuss three new solutions to overcome this challenge and increase the accuracy of diagnosis and added: Gene expression estimation from blood with EPIC-seq technology and the use of artificial ielligence is the first solution. Previously, the main focus was on the ideification of genetic mutations in ctDNA, but now, we are looking at the features of Epigenetics Hidden in the pattern of DNA fragmeation we use. We have developed a method called EPIC-seq that eropy of region fragmeation promoter It measures genes. This assay allows us to infer gene expression profiles directly from cfDNA.
Faculty member Biotechnology He emphasized: The use of this method in the blood samples of paties with lung cancer and lymphoma has shown its ability to accurately classify tumor subtypes. Also, in paties treated with ImmunotherapyEPIC-seq inferred profiles predicted treatme response well, which is an importa step towards personalized medicine.
Designing next generation panels: prioritizing areas genomic with artificial ielligence
Mehrmohammadi Emphasizing that to finally overcome the challenge of low tumor fraction, the areas must be ielligely genomic for search to choose, he added: In this regard, we have a series of new parameters in the design of panels SequencingBiopsy We have provided liquid. In this project, machine learning is used to ideify regions of chromatin that are abnormally accessible or inaccessible in specific cancer cells. We have developed a quaitative score that measures this relative accessibility in tumor compared to normal blood cells. This criterion allows us to prioritize the regions that have a higher chance of appearing in cfDNA and include them in the design of next-generation diagnostic panels.
Moving towards more precise personalized medicine
It should be meioned that these developmes together draw a clear perspective of the future of cancer diagnosis and monitoring. By going beyond the mere analysis of genetic mutations and taking advaage of deeper layers of information Epigenetics and optimization of diagnostic panels with artificial ielligence, towards realization Biopsy We are moving towards liquid as a non-invasive, high-throughput and ultra-precise tool not only in cancer, but also in other types of diseases, including autoimmune diseases, to monitor treatme response and prescribe targeted therapies.
It should be said that Dr. Mahia Mehrmohammadia member of the Faculty of Biotechnology Schools Tehran University of Science has been selected by the Academy of Sciences as the selected young researcher of the coury in the field of biology – the Abu Rehan Biruni Award in 1404 due to the research in this field. The report of the detailed results of this research is available in the following links:
