Short and long RNAs in liquid biopsy: How to sequence them and what they tell us about cancer

Next generation sequencing of cancer has been a crucial tool for understanding complex cancer biology and generating key translational insights. Tissue biopsy has traditionally been the gold standard for obtaining nucleotides, proteins, and other sequenceable analytes from tumors. Unfortunately, significant quantities of tumors are ineligible for biopsy due to factors such as inaccessibility of tissue or ineligibility of patients for biopsy due to complicating conditions. Circulating RNA derived from biofluids like blood plasma have emerged as an alternative analyte to not only assess tumor-specific biomarkers, but also factors like tumor initiation, progression, and tissue of origin in both early and late-stage tumors. In this illumina webinar, speakers will discuss methodologies for sequencing long or short RNAs from liquid biopsy samples, along with implications for cancer research.

Isidore Rigoutsos, PhD
Richard W. Hevner Professor in Computational Medicine
Director of the Computational Medicine Center
Professor in the Dept. of Pathology and Genomic Medicine
Dept. of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, and Dept. of Cancer Biology
Thomas Jefferson University

Thuy Ngo, PhD
Department of Molecular & Medical Genetics
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Oregon Health and Science University