An exciting new project will see 1,000 people undergo whole genome sequencing and whole transcriptome sequencing using a novel testing platform provided by American company NantHealth.

NantHealth has partnered with the University of Utah in to analyse the genomic profiles of people who have a history of rare and life-threatening diseases and conditions in their families. The project will focus on researching the genetic causes of 25 conditions, including, breast, colon, ovarian, and prostate cancers, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, autism, preterm birth, epilepsy, and other hereditary conditions. Genomic sequencing will be conducted with unique, comprehensive molecular tests offered by NantHealth.

Researchers will use NantHealth’s genomic sequencing platform which integrates whole genome (DNA) sequencing, and RNA sequencing. By carrying out extensive testing, including analysis of germline and somatic samples, researchers will be able to explore the underlying genetic causes of conditions and diseases at the cellular level.

Patrick Soon-Shiong, MD, Chairman and CEO of NantHealth, said: “Understanding the molecular profile and underlying genetic basis of various conditions and diseases, including cancer, will be accelerated through our partnership with the University of Utah and its Utah Genome Project. “As the industry continues to focus on personalized medicine, it has become more important to have tests which can not only provide clinicians with information necessary to develop personalized treatment strategies for their patients, but also has the potential to help physicians identify treatments for debilitating diseases at a targeted level.”

The university’s Utah Genome Project is a large-scale, genome sequencing and analysis initiative to discover new disease-causing genes and to develop genetic diagnostics and precision therapies that will transform healthcare. The project is unique among genome initiatives because, instead of studying unrelated individuals, it uncovers genetic signatures of disease and drug response in large families.

It uses information from the Utah Population Database, the world’s largest repository of genealogies, public health and medical records, housed at the university. Dr Vivian S. Lee, Senior Vice President for Health Sciences and Dean of the School of Medicine, University of Utah, and CEO of University of Utah Health Care, said: “By partnering with NantHealth and leveraging the power of genome sequencing, our researchers are now transforming our understanding of common diseases and how they should be treated.”

Academic and industry genome experts in the US have joined together to launch iGenomX, a precision library construction company for next-generation sequencing (NGS) applications. Working within The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), one of the world’s most notable research organisations, iGenomX has developed a patent-pending library platform that offers scientists increased control over the manipulation of DNA molecules.

By applying precision biochemistry to digital biology, the company aims to deliver affordable and accurate applications including droplet-based linked-read assembly of human genomes. NantHealth has partnered with the University of Utah in to analyse the genomic profiles of people who have a history of rare and life-threatening diseases and conditions in their families. The project will focus on researching the genetic causes of 25 conditions, including, breast, colon, ovarian, and prostate cancers, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, autism, preterm birth, epilepsy, and other hereditary conditions. Genomic sequencing will be conducted with unique, comprehensive molecular tests offered by NantHealth.

Researchers will use NantHealth’s genomic sequencing platform which integrates whole genome (DNA) sequencing, and RNA sequencing. By carrying out extensive testing, including analysis of germline and somatic samples, researchers will be able to explore the underlying genetic causes of conditions and diseases at the cellular level. Patrick Soon-Shiong, MD, Chairman and CEO of NantHealth, said: “Understanding the molecular profile and underlying genetic basis of various conditions and diseases, including cancer, will be accelerated through our partnership with the University of Utah and its Utah Genome Project.

“As the industry continues to focus on personalized medicine, it has become more important to have tests which can not only provide clinicians with information necessary to develop personalized treatment strategies for their patients, but also has the potential to help physicians identify treatments for debilitating diseases at a targeted level.”

The university’s Utah Genome Project is a large-scale, genome sequencing and analysis initiative to discover new disease-causing genes and to develop genetic diagnostics and precision therapies that will transform healthcare. The project is unique among genome initiatives because, instead of studying unrelated individuals, it uncovers genetic signatures of disease and drug response in large families. It uses information from the Utah Population Database, the world’s largest repository of genealogies, public health and medical records, housed at the university.

Dr Vivian S. Lee, Senior Vice President for Health Sciences and Dean of the School of Medicine, University of Utah, and CEO of University of Utah Health Care, said: “By partnering with NantHealth and leveraging the power of genome sequencing, our researchers are now transforming our understanding of common diseases and how they should be treated.”

Academic and industry genome experts in the US have joined together to launch iGenomX, a precision library construction company for next-generation sequencing (NGS) applications. Working within The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), one of the world’s most notable research organisations, iGenomX has developed a patent-pending library platform that offers scientists increased control over the manipulation of DNA molecules. By applying precision biochemistry to digital biology, the company aims to deliver affordable and accurate applications including droplet-based linked-read assembly of human genomes.