Techniques to Improve Diagnostic Yield of Tumour Samples
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The Development of Modern Laboratory Techniques to Improve Diagnostic Yield and Facilitate Molecular Analysis of Tumour Samples
IRAS ID
265082
Contact name
Craig DT Bratten
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
York Hospitals NHS FT
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 10 months, 0 days
Research summary
The 100,000 genome project, recently closed here in York, had several express aims, one of which was to transform cellular pathology practice to allow routine collection, storage and molecular analysis of tissue samples. There are a multitude of tissue sampling techniques that have been used on solid tumours, but all rely on one thing: that the tumour is big enough to sample. Any sampling technique has to leave enough tissue behind for routine histology, since this will provide the immediate diagnostic and prognostic information for the clinical team. Thus, the inclusion criteria for the 100k project was for relatively large tumours only (eg breast tumours >20mm in size). Many tumours are much smaller than this, and many are not resected at all but only biopsied.
In the research setting whole genome sequencing has been achieved on single cells, and so the size of the tumour or the smallness of the biopsy should not necessarily preclude molecular testing. It will however require more sophisticated methods for retrieving tumour cells without disrupting the routine diagnostic histology.
Members of the research team specialise in the design and construction of microfluidic devices – small devices made from a variety of materials using techniques commonly applied to integrated circuit fabrication but used to contain, manipulate and analyse fluid samples of anything from a few millilitres down to picolitres or lower. Microfluidic devices have been used already to contain tumour cells and allow genome sequencing. The aim of this study would be to design a device and a protocol that would be practicable to apply into the busy diagnostic setting. Dr Bratten has a background in electronics and experience of microfluidic design and single cell experimentation, and is ideally placed to bridge the gap between research activity and daily clinical diagnostics alongside colleagues at the University of York.REC name
North East - York Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/NE/0212
Date of REC Opinion
14 Jun 2019
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion