Biomarker translational centre

At the Human Proteome Organization (HUPO) 2011 World Congress, in Switzerland, Thermo Fisher Scientific has announced the establishment of a biomarker translational centre. According to the company the centre will accelerate mass spectrometry (MS)-based biomarker discovery research and its translation into the development of routine clinical assays for subsequent commercialization. Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, the centre combines expertise from across the company including its B·R·A·H·M·S product line and the team at the company’s Biomarkers Research Initiatives in Mass Spectrometry (BRIMS) centre.

“Through the vertical integration with the unique talent in MS-based biomarker discovery and high-throughput quantitative assay development at BRIMS, we aim to expand our pipeline of new protein and peptide biomarkers with potential as clinical assays,” said Bruno Darbouret, director of research and development for B·R·A·H·M·S Biomarkers at the company. “Ultimately, this development effort will speed the commercialization of diagnostic tests that address life threatening diseases.”

The centre will investigate quantitative MS biomarker discovery and multiplexed selected reaction monitoring (SRM) assay development to identify putative biomarkers and their clinically relevant isoforms. It will also aim to develop robust, reproducible, targeted MS-based assays appropriate for the validation of putative biomarkers and ultimately for the clinical diagnostics market.

“Efficient translation of MS-based biomarker discovery research into the development of routine clinical diagnostic assays is an important challenge in the field of personalized medicine,” said Bryan Krastins, group leader at the centre. “Bridging this gap requires high-level competence in MS-based biomarker discovery and routine assay development for biomarker verification and validation. The new centre integrates all the capabilities needed to speed the clinical assay development pipeline from biomarker discovery to clinical assay development and validation.”

For more information about the company visit www.thermoscientific.com/ms