Speaker Profile
Ph.D., Director, Biomarker Discovery Program, Center for Individualized Medicine; Assistant Professor in Laboratory Medicine, Mayo Clinic
Biography
Dr. George Vasmatzis is the director of the Biomarker Discovery Program, within the Center for Individualized Medicine. He has a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering and has acquired experience in diverse disciplines, including Bioinformatics, Molecular Biology, and Computational Biology. His laboratory has demonstrated success in discovery and translation of several biomarkers as well as developing evidence-based models that should help clinicians stratify (cancer) patients in order to provide each individual with the appropriate care. His team within the Biomarker Discovery Program in CIM directed by Dr. Vasmatzis has developed MPseq, an accurate and inexpensive whole genome sequencing platform that has been used to detect structural variants. MPseq is a combination of a protocol and algorisms that can replace several cytogenetic tests and offer comprehensive diagnostic value with high specificity, sensitivity and cost-effectiveness.
Talk
Detecting Rearrangements Using NGS and Applications to Biomarker Discovery
Accurate and inexpensive whole genome sequencing is used to detect structural variants. How do a combination of a protocol and algorithms deliver a comprehensive description of DNA rearrangements at a resolution that can show how individual genes are disturbed? Recurrent DNA abnormalities can lead to identification of frequently disrupted or gain-of-function genes that can then serve as prognostic, diagnostic or therapeutic biomarkers.
