May 25, 2017
11 am to 12 pm EDT

Sponsored by

Webinar Description:

Cancer heterogeneity represents a critical obstacle to efficient therapy. We have previously shown that mutually exclusive genetic sub clones can coexist and play different roles in growth of brain tumors and that metabolism of tumor cells depends on their microenvironment. Cancer cells can also manipulate normal stromal cells to provide necessary growth factors. In addition to genetic heterogeneity of cancer cells, molecular profiling of the whole tumor can be skewed by the presence of variable stromal and inflammatory cell subpopulations. To separate cancer cell, stromal cell and inflammatory sub clones and dissect their genetic and epigenetic heterogeneity, we implemented DEPArray system, a microchip-based digital sorter, which enables us to distinguish cells by fluorescently labeled antibodies and DNA content and isolate pure, single cells or homogenous subpopulations from fresh or archival pathology samples. Downstream analysis includes DNA and RNA next-generation sequencing and methylation profiling on a single cell level. Using dielectrophoretic capture and digital sorting, we can investigate genetic and epigenetic heterogeneity of cancer cells with unambiguous determination of sequence variants, loss-of-heterozygosity, copy number variants and methylation. We can further investigate epigenetic and transcriptional changes in tumor-associated stromal and inflammatory cells and dissect how cancer cell growth and spread depends on non-neoplastic cells.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the role of DEPArray in resolving genetic heterogeneity in cancer and obstacles in analyzing it
• Investigate the different methods of sample preparation leading to precise genetic analysis
• Evaluate all the potential downstream analysis for captured 100% pure cancer cells

Speakers:

Matija Snuderl, MD

Director of Molecular Pathology and Diagnostics

Department of Pathology, NYU Langone Medical Center and Medical School

Dr. Snuderl is Assistant Professor of Pathology and Neurology and Director of the Molecular Pathology and Diagnostics at NYU Langone Medical Center. He obtained his MD degree from Charles University, Prague and completed his residency in Anatomic Pathology and Neuropathology at Massachusetts General Hospital. He then completed fellowship in Molecular Genetic Pathology at Harvard Medical School and post-doctoral fellowship at the Edwin L. Steele Laboratory for Tumor Biology at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Snuderl joined the faculty at NYU Department of Pathology in January 2013 and has been actively involved in designing novel molecular tests and platforms particularly in molecular neuropathology and epigenetics. Dr. Snuderl has strong interest in tumor genetics, heterogeneity and microenvironment. The American Association of Neuropathologists awarded his work with the Lucien J. Rubinstein Award for the Best Paper on Neuro-oncology in 2009 and 2015 and Honorable Mention in the same category in 2008 and 2010.

Dr. Raimo Tanzi

Chief Commercial Officer

Menarini Silicon Biosystems

University degree in Agricultural Sciences followed by 30 years’ experience in Sales, Business development and Marketing positions with Applied Biosystems - Lifetechnologies – Ion Torrent – Menarini Silicon Biosystems, selling molecular biology products and applications to research, pharma, diagnostic and forensic market. Main areas of expertise: PCR, Sequencing, real Time PCR, microarrays, gene expression, SNP Genotyping, next gen sequencing. Currently Chief Commercial Officer for Menarini Silicon Biosystems, focused on oncology and forensic applications of DEPArray™ technology.

Moderator Information:

Nicolo’ Manaresi, PhD

Chief Scientific Officer

Menarini Silicon Biosystems

Nicolò Manaresi was a co-founder of Menarini Silicon Biosystems and served as its president and CEO through the early stages of the company. Prior to founding Silicon Biosystems, Dr. Manaresi was a research fellow at the University of Bologna and a long-time consultant to STMicroelectronics in the field of innovative sensors based on Microelectronic technologies. He received a Degree and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences from the University of Bologna, Italy, in 1993 and 1999, respectively. In 1996 he spent one year as a Research assistant the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland. He is co-author of more than 40 scientific papers, one of which - “A CMOS Chip for Individual Cell Manipulation and Detection” - received the IEEE 2003 International Solid Circuit Conference Jan Van Vessem Award for outstanding European papers. He is a co-inventor behind more than 30 European and US Patents.