University of Pittsburgh Selects GenomOncology

GenomOncology has announced that the University of Pittsburgh has selected GenomOncology’s GenomAnalytics™ platform and services to explore and mine the breadth of data that exists in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA).

Cancer is a complex disease of the genome with each tumor having its own set of genetic anomalies. Increased understanding of the genetic changes in cancer cells can lead to precise treatment strategies tailored to the genetic profile of each patient’s cancer.

To further this understanding and advance treatment options, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has established The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Data Portal that allows researchers to access and analyze comprehensive, multi-dimensional maps of the key genomic changes in major types and subtypes of cancer.

To date, the TCGA project has focused on more than 20 cancer types and amassed thousands of samples. These samples will be further characterized to include single nucleotide variants, copy number variants, expression level changes, methylation and clinical phenotype data. The University of Pittsburg is one of the largest contributors to TCGA.

The GenomAnalytics platform will be used to investigate and visualize cancer genomic research data as a part of the University’s Personalized Medicine research initiative.

This project will engage the cancer research community and leverage the GenomAnlaytics platform to develop, validate and review scientific hypotheses associated with the unique drivers associated with cancer.

“GenomOncology is honored to work with the University of Pittsburgh on this important initiative.” said Manuel Glynias, President and CEO of GenomOncology. “We are confident that our robust technology platform and onsite support will accelerate the interpretation of the diverse amount of data in TCGA.”