Recipients’ research advances future development of oncology diagnostics, the impact of DNA quality on ovarian cancer outcomes and molecular diagnosis with T cell receptor convergence

At the 36th annual European Congress of Pathology in Florence, Italy, Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader serving science, announced the latest recipients of the Oncomine Clinical Research Grant, designed to support emerging research on molecular profiling in oncology and to help democratize the future of precision medicine. Now in its fourth year, the grant recognizes research from Tata Memorial Centre in India; Leiden University Center in The Netherlands; Western University in Canada; and Fred Hutch Cancer Center in the U.S.

Since its introduction in 2020, the Oncomine Clinical Research Grant program has awarded reagents and general funding for 26 unique research projects conducted by independent clinical research teams. This research spans across 16 countries and five continents, encompassing research in solid-tumors, pediatric oncology, hemato-oncology, immune-oncology and liquid biopsy, all of which help enhance the understanding of potential new applications for accessible and rapid next-generation sequencing (NGS).

“This year, we saw the highest number of Oncomine Clinical Research Grant submissions since the program began in 2020. It’s a clear indication of the industry-wide push to accelerate research that explores the impacts of genomic discovery,” said Jose Luis Costa, Ph.D., global director, scientific affairs, clinical next-generation sequencing and oncology, Thermo Fisher Scientific. "As we continue to be inspired by the achievements and discoveries of the previous awardees, doubling down on supporting the next generation of clinical researchers who will further contribute to democratizing access to NGS technology is our key priority."

Global Footprint of Oncomine Clinical Research Grant Expands

Based on the last call for proposals in Spring 2024, four projects identified below were recognized at the European Congress of Pathology – including the first projects to be awarded this grant in India and Netherlands:

Professor Nikhil Patkar, Tata Memorial Centre, India – “Applicability of Measurable Residual Disease Testing in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia by Next Generation Sequencing.”This research project seeks to explore the detection of minimal residual disease (MRD) in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia by using a highly sensitive immune repertoire assay leveraging the Oncomine platform. The overarching goal is to surpass traditional methods and assess future standards for accurate and reproducible MRD monitoring and risk assessment

Dr. Dina Ruano, Leiden University Medical Center, Netherlands – “Exploring Homologous Recombination Deficiency Beyond Ovarian Cancer: Impact of DNA Quality on Outcomes.”This research project seeks to investigate precise genomic instability thresholds for homologous recombination deficiency in breast and prostate cancers using the OCA plus panel, while also exploring the potential of shallow whole-genome sequencing to assess HRD in low-quality samples, ultimately aiming to identify future robust and reliable methods for HRD detection across diverse cancer types.

Professor Emilie Lalonde, London Health Sciences Center, Western University, Canada – "Segmental CNV detection in FFPE Specimens with the Oncomine Comprehensive Assay v3: Combined SNV and CNV detection for future diagnostics."This research project aims to develop a novel segmental CNV detection algorithm using Oncomine generated data, with the potential to significantly enhance the diagnostic accuracy for brain tumors and melanocytic lesions by integrating CNV analysis with existing SNV and indel detection, paving the way for broader clinical applications across other cancer types.

Professor Cecilia CS Young, Fred Hutch Cancer Center, United States of America – "Advancing Molecular Diagnosis with TCR Convergence and Global Oncology Efforts.”This research project aims to revolutionize cancer care in low- and middle-income countries by expanding their access to precision medicine through validated molecular assays on diverse sample types, including dried blood spots, while also pioneering the use of T-cell sequencing to predict immunotherapy responses, potentially transforming treatment strategies for cancers with complex immune signatures.

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