Gene expression profiling yields many insights into the disease state, particularly in discovering those molecular indicators known as biomarkers. Indeed, the widespread application of transcriptomic techniques in cancer research over recent years has proven that, like protein, RNA is a rich source of clinically valuable biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis and predicting therapeutic response. Although such approaches may identify many potential biomarkers, translating these discoveries into the clinic for routine measurement has traditionally been hindered by established analytical technologies. While it is commonplace to detect and visualize DNA and proteins in their native context within single cells, until now the best routine measurement tools for RNA have been those that detect and quantify RNA in solution, losing all morphological context. Times are changing, however, and the ‘RNA Revolution’ is here.
The intriguing molecule of RNA is no longer viewed as merely the ‘messenger’, especially with new classes of non-coding RNAs being discovered on a regular basis that have a hand in genetic regulatory control and a wide range of cellular activities. The discovery of this “new world” of RNA has sparked an unprecedented drive towards better tools to characterize the complexity of RNA – in terms of quantity, function and spatial distribution. In particular, pinpointing the localization of specific RNAs within cells and tissue architecture is an important factor in realizing its true potential as a biomarker.
Exploring how RNA presents an ideal biomarker, especially in light of novel RNA analysis methodologies, the new whitepaper from Advanced Cell Diagnostics (ACD) will discuss:
- The Biomarker: What makes a valuable biomarker, and how a direct path from RNA biomarker discovery to the clinic is vital, avoiding the use of DNA or protein surrogates.
- The Method: A biomarker is only as good as its routine analysis methodology, but what constitutes the optimal biomarker method? Advantages and pitfalls of existing methods for routine biomarker analysis will also be discussed.
- The Future: How the utilization of RNA as a biomarker is achieved through the latest RNA analysis methods, such as ACD’s RNAscope®.
Novel RNA analysis technologies are unlocking the potential of RNA as a clinically valuable biomarker. This new whitepaper examines the utility of RNA as a biomarker, and how this is profoundly linked to the methods now available for its validation, detection and localization.
>> Download the full Application Note as PDF
www.acdbio.com/whitepapers
info@acdbio.com
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