The analytical challenge

An enormous step forward in making predictive individualized patient models possible has been the fantastic progress in nucleic acid sequencing techniques. While it has taken 10 years to sequence the first human genome at an estimated cost of 3 billion Euro, we are now getting close to generating one genome per day on the newest generation of machines at costs likely to drop to below 1000Euro per genome in the coming years.

The analytical data for the ITFoM virtual patient models will come from a broad range of available high throughput research tools, such as:

Nucleic acid sequence based analyses (Genomics, Epigenomics, Transcriptomics, Metagenomics)

These analyses identify the sequences of the DNA in a given cell, the genes that are being actively expressed at any given time, the biochemical relationships controlling the function of genes and the communities of microbial organisms directly in their natural environments.

Proteomics (Antibody based/mass spectrometry)

The protein inventory (the proteome) may be functionally explored using the systematic generation and use of antibodies or mass spectrometric analysis. ITFoM will support the expansion of a novel proteomic technology using targeted detection of proteotypic peptides (PTPs), that unambiguously define a protein when detected by a mass spectrometer.

Metabolomics

Metabolites are the end products of cellular processes. Metabolomics are the systematic study of the unique chemical fingerprints that specific cellular processes leave behind.

Imaging

ITFoM will bridge current imaging techniques and models of cell and tissue function.

iPS-omics

iPS (Induced pluripotent stem) cells from individuals may be reprogrammed to different cell types, allowing the generation of a dramatically increased range of samples for a given patient.

The ITFoM Consortium will determine the techniques with the highest impact on personalized medicine and develop ways in which the unused potential of existing and developing functional –omics technologies may be unleashed.

Participants:

Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Germany

Medical University Graz, Austria

University College London, United Kingdom

Free University Amsterdam, The Netherlands

University of Manchester, United Kingdom

Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, United Kingdom
University of Geneva, Switzerland
KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
Center for Magnetic Resonance, Italy
Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico, Spain
Uppsala University, Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Sweden
University of Luxembourg / Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, Luxembourg
Roche Diagnostics, Germany

Harvard Medical School, United States

Illumina Cambridge Ltd, United Kingdom