Redefining NGS in Cancer Research

Cancer Research using Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) has ushered in numerous advancements in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Beyond the identification of individual targetable alterations, Sequencing methods can reveal mutational load and tumor-specific antigens, which might predict a therapeutic response to targeted therapies, immune-checkpoint inhibitors, and personalized anticancer vaccines. Emerging clinical applications of cancer genomics include monitoring treatment responses and characterizing mechanisms of resistance. Genomic assays that enable the characterization of the somatic and germline defects in individual tumour samples are increasingly being used in clinical diagnostics as a means of identifying therapeutic options. Additionally, the occurrence of shared targetable alterations across diverse tumour types has prompted new paradigms in the application of genomic profiling and the design of clinical trials.

Although often perceived as a primarily genomic and/or transcriptomic analysis approach, NGS has evolved beyond the genome and transcriptome. It can now be used to characterize the proteome, epigenome, non-coding RNAs, and even small RNAs. In addition, cellular characterization can occur at multiple levels of resolution.  If someone is seeking to characterize average state of many cells, bulk sequencing is still a fantastic, straight forward application. However, it’s also now possible to embrace the inherent heterogeneity of a tissue by performing single-cell sequencing and understanding individual cells (but without spatial context).  These applications further enrich cancer research and drive future breakthroughs.

During this webinar, our expert speakers will:

• Provide background information on next-generation sequencing (NGS)
• Discuss the achievements and challenges associated with NGS
• Discuss how an integrated multiomics approach can be used in cancer diagnosis and treatment
• Answer your questions during the live broadcast.

This webinar will last for approximately 60 minutes.

Elaine Mardis, Ph.D.
Nationwide Children's Hospital
Columbus, OH

Christina Curtis, Ph.D.
Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford, CA

Robert Yamulla, Ph.D.
Illumina
San Diego, CA