Liquid biopsy requires better standardization to realize all the new possibilities for studying metastasis, heterogenicity, treatment efficacy, and disease recurrence. Furthermore, it is critical for clinicians to have confidence in liquid biopsy data to diagnose and treat patients. This is only achievable when consistent and high-quality data is generated at research and all clinical centers. The Liquid Biopsies course at EMBL Advanced Training Centre provides a unique practical training in best practices and pitfalls on the complete liquid biopsy workflow, from sample preparation to data analysis. The course is targeted for clinical laboratory and research scientists interested in learning all aspects of liquid biopsy testing.
“At last year’s workshop participants came from research institutes and clinical research organizations, each with interest in different aspects of liquid biopsy, but commonly they shared the need for standardization”, said Anders Ståhlberg, scientific organizer, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Sweden. “This is a real need, adds Tony Godfrey, Boston University School of Medicine, USA. At AACR this year, we co-authored a poster with NIST that illustrates variation one can observe between laboratories and technologies when analyzing ctDNA. It highlights the importance of standardizing pre-analytic, wet and dry lab work.” In this study, SeraCare’s Seraseq® ctDNA reference standards were used to establish a ground truth for measurements and to increase confidence procedures, and protocols were precisely followed. “At the Liquid Biopsies course, we also use Seraseq ctDNA reference standards, says Anders. This year we will use the full process materials which allows monitoring cfDNA extraction efficiency, a valuable tool when developing and validating complete workflows for ctDNA analysis.”
This year’s Liquid Biopsies EMBL course will take place from 15-20 October at EMBL in Heidelberg.
For more information on standards for liquid biopsy cancer testing, visit www.seracare.com/ctdna
Learn more about liquid biopsy best practices by watching our video presentation:
Expert Perspectives on Liquid Biopsy Clinical Implementations
