Matt Trau
Department of Chemistry, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology,
University of Queensland
A Universal Cancer Biomarker/Assay: Are we there yet?
Abstract: Modern medicine is currently transitioning to a new paradigm of precision and personalized care, where patients will be comprehensively screened and monitored for the detailed molecular abnormalities that characterise their specific disease. In the past decade, nanotechnology has provided new tools (e.g., next-generation sequencing) with unprecedented power to comprehensively interrogate genetic, transcriptomic and epigenetic information. The Centre for Personalised Nanomedicine at UQ is focused on translating these new technologies into a clinical setting, whilst simultaneously developing the next generation of point-of-care diagnostic technologies to further empower the personalised and precision medicine approach. As part of a major National Collaborative grant funded by the National Breast Cancer Foundation (“Enabling clinical epigenetic diagnostics: The next generation of personalized breast cancer care”, CG-12-07), our consortium recently published hundreds of epigenetic regions that area highly informative in cancer, as well as a unique epigenetic marker that appears to be universal for cancer1-3. These are now being validated in a real-time clinical setting, where comprehensive DNA, methyl-DNA and RNA information is collected in tandem and analysed. In this talk we will present data on the clinical translation of this approach, highlighting some of the positive impacts that such an approach can make on the “recovery trajectory” of cancer patients. Along with comprehensive DNA/RNA/methylated-DNA sequencing methodologies, several point-of-care nanotechnologies recently developed by our lab will be presented.e.g.,4-14. These include novel technologies for detecting circulating free DNA/RNA/methyl-DNA, circulated tumour cells, exosomes and protein biomarkers. Several of these technologies have been developed collaboratively with US partners via a collaborative NIH grant (“Accelerated Molecular Probe Pipeline”, U01AI082186-01).
Abstract: Modern medicine is currently transitioning to a new paradigm of precision and personalized care, where patients will be comprehensively screened and monitored for the detailed molecular abnormalities that characterise their specific disease. In the past decade, nanotechnology has provided new tools (e.g., next-generation sequencing) with unprecedented power to comprehensively interrogate genetic, transcriptomic and epigenetic information. The Centre for Personalised Nanomedicine at UQ is focused on translating these new technologies into a clinical setting, whilst simultaneously developing the next generation of point-of-care diagnostic technologies to further empower the personalised and precision medicine approach. As part of a major National Collaborative grant funded by the National Breast Cancer Foundation (“Enabling clinical epigenetic diagnostics: The next generation of personalized breast cancer care”, CG-12-07), our consortium recently published hundreds of epigenetic regions that area highly informative in cancer, as well as a unique epigenetic marker that appears to be universal for cancer1-3. These are now being validated in a real-time clinical setting, where comprehensive DNA, methyl-DNA and RNA information is collected in tandem and analysed. In this talk we will present data on the clinical translation of this approach, highlighting some of the positive impacts that such an approach can make on the “recovery trajectory” of cancer patients. Along with comprehensive DNA/RNA/methylated-DNA sequencing methodologies, several point-of-care nanotechnologies recently developed by our lab will be presented.e.g.,4-14. These include novel technologies for detecting circulating free DNA/RNA/methyl-DNA, circulated tumour cells, exosomes and protein biomarkers. Several of these technologies have been developed collaboratively with US partners via a collaborative NIH grant (“Accelerated Molecular Probe Pipeline”, U01AI082186-01).
Biography
Matt Trau is currently a Professor of Chemistry and Director of the Centre for Personalised Nanomedicine at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. He is also senior group leader and co-founder of the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN). His research is dedicated towards developing innovative nano-diagnostics to help transform the healthcare system towards early detection and personalized treatment of disease. This approach aims to dramatically extend high quality human life through a combination of innovative diagnostic technology, molecular-guided therapies and preventative measures. Since graduating from the University of Sydney (BSc Hons I, University Medal) and the University of Melbourne (PhD in Physical Chemistry, 1993), he has held positions within industry and academia across the globe. These include a Fulbright Research Fellowship at Princeton University, USA, a research scientist at Dow Chemical and ICI Pty Ltd. Matt has also been a Visiting Professor at two of the largest Cancer Research Centres in the world: The Dana Farber Cancer Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston (2000), and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre, Seattle (2008). Matt is internationally recognised for his innovative and cross-disciplinary research at the interface between chemistry, nanotechnology, biology and medicine. He has co-authored more than 200 publications, many of which appear in the highest impact journals in his field, e.g., eleven Science and Nature family journal publications overall to date. His major awards and honours include an ARC Federation Fellowship (one of the most prestigious scientific fellowships in Australia), a Fulbright Research Fellowship to the US, a “Young Tall Poppy" Award for Queensland, a UQ Foundation/Vice Chancellor’s Research Excellence Award, a Paul Harris Fellowship, and a Pink Circle Award for breast cancer research excellence. Matt is also the co-founder of Xing Technologies Pty Ltd, a biotechnology company located in Brisbane.
Group website
References:
Matt Trau is currently a Professor of Chemistry and Director of the Centre for Personalised Nanomedicine at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. He is also senior group leader and co-founder of the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN). His research is dedicated towards developing innovative nano-diagnostics to help transform the healthcare system towards early detection and personalized treatment of disease. This approach aims to dramatically extend high quality human life through a combination of innovative diagnostic technology, molecular-guided therapies and preventative measures. Since graduating from the University of Sydney (BSc Hons I, University Medal) and the University of Melbourne (PhD in Physical Chemistry, 1993), he has held positions within industry and academia across the globe. These include a Fulbright Research Fellowship at Princeton University, USA, a research scientist at Dow Chemical and ICI Pty Ltd. Matt has also been a Visiting Professor at two of the largest Cancer Research Centres in the world: The Dana Farber Cancer Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston (2000), and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre, Seattle (2008). Matt is internationally recognised for his innovative and cross-disciplinary research at the interface between chemistry, nanotechnology, biology and medicine. He has co-authored more than 200 publications, many of which appear in the highest impact journals in his field, e.g., eleven Science and Nature family journal publications overall to date. His major awards and honours include an ARC Federation Fellowship (one of the most prestigious scientific fellowships in Australia), a Fulbright Research Fellowship to the US, a “Young Tall Poppy" Award for Queensland, a UQ Foundation/Vice Chancellor’s Research Excellence Award, a Paul Harris Fellowship, and a Pink Circle Award for breast cancer research excellence. Matt is also the co-founder of Xing Technologies Pty Ltd, a biotechnology company located in Brisbane.
Group website
References:
- Sina et al., Nature Communications (2018)
- Stone, et al., Nature Communications(2015)
- Stirzaker, et al., Nature Communications(2015)
- Koo, et al., Nat. Rev. Ur.,(2019)
- Tsao, Wang, et al., Nature Communications (2018)
- Koo, Dey, Trau SMALL(2018)
- Wuethrich, Sina et al Nanoscale(2018)
- Koo, Carrascossa, et al. Nano Research(2018)
- Koo, Wee, et al., Lab on a Chip(2017)
- Ahmed, Carroscossa, et al., Biosensors and Bioelectronics(2017)
- Ng, Wee, et al., Analytical Chemistry(2017)
- Wang, Koo et al, Nanoscale(2017)
- Lu, Johnston, et al., Sci. Rep.(2017)
- Lu, Ru, et al., Sci. Rep.(2017)