Director of Market Strategy for Microbial Genomics, Cancer and Immunology
There has never been a better time to be a cancer researcher. Technological advances have made it possible to analyze tumors at the single-cell level, detect circulating tumor DNA and rare cancer cells in blood samples, and visualize the spatial architecture of a tumor microenvironment. These advances have given researchers a deeper understanding of tumors at the genomic and transcriptomic level, leading to improvements in cancer risk screening, early detection, and precision therapies.
The biggest driver of these advances has been the falling cost of DNA sequencing, enabling the study of cohorts large enough to see statistically meaningful patterns in cancer biology. However, falling costs are not the entire story. More recently, major improvements to sequencing technologies have allowed scientists to generate a more comprehensive view of cancer genomes and transcriptomes, filling in blind spots that previously slowed further progress. Scientists have deployed these new sequencing technologies to great effect. From characterizing frequently used cancer cell lines to associating patient genotypes with treatment response, the results have been invaluable to the entire cancer research community.
View Full Article