EuroGentest has announced that the results of the first evaluations are being presented at a satellite meeting at the EHSG meeting in Nice in June along with a further call for new technologies
Genetic testing technology is moving at an incredible speed.
However, it is often difficult if not impossible for developers to find adequate accredited diagnostic expert sites to conduct proper evaluations.
Last year, to address this situation, EuroGentest, an EU-funded Network of Excellence, launched a technology evaluation service offering access to its 100 plus accredited member laboratories across Europe.
EuroGentest has announced that the results of the first evaluations are being presented at a satellite meeting at the EHSG meeting in Nice in June along with a further call for new technologies.
According to Nienke van der Stoep of EuroGentest, the first round has proven extremely interesting: "Since the first call we have had several enquiries from both small and large biotechs.
"At ESHG we will show how the network has precisely the resources needed - accredited laboratories and well classifed samples - to conduct the elaborate evaluation studies needed for the new mutation scanning methods such as high resolution melting curve analysis (HR-MCA) and CSCE (in collaboration with the NGRL in Wessex).
"Another project has looked at the pyrophosphorolysis activated polymerisation (PAP)-assay, a very sensitive detection method for ultra rare mutations in the presence of excess wild type allele.
"This technique is being evaluated as a non-invasive prenatal screening test for foetal sexing using free cell free foetal DNA from maternal plasma (in collaboartion with SAFE an other EU-funded Network of Excellence).
"Our overall remit is to evaluate new tests/techniques that can be applied into genome diagnostic laboratories on a European level and thus encourage faster uptake.
"These techniques can involve improvement of detection of DNA changes such as mutations, deletions, insertions, duplications, translocations, methylation, etc, but can also involve the improvement of technical aspects (approaches like arrays) that are related to the detection of these genetic changes.
"Anyone working in these areas should not hesitate to get in contact" continues van der Stoep.
Idaho Technologies, which has developed the Lightscanner for HR-MCA is one of the companies and Deepika de Silva, programme manager genomic systems, welcomes the initiative: "Idaho Technology is pleased to support the evaluation of the LightScanner instrument and high-resolution melting curve analysis as a emerging technology for genetic screening.
"Hi-Res melting is a new but powerful technology and acceptance of this technology can only be achieved by an unbiased evaluation of the technique.
"We welcome the opportunity to support the highly competent EuroGentest Group 5 team tasked with this effort as we feel that it helps broadcast this useful scientific tool to the entire community of researchers and clinical labs throughout the EU."
