By Heather Hobbs
BRINGING YOU THE LATEST NEWS & EVENTS FROM THE SCIENCE INDUSTRY Gene Expression Key for Infection Diagnosis
initially based on the doctors’ ‘impression’ of the likely causes of the illness, including symptoms, information from the parents and medical training and experience.
“As clinicians, we need to make rapid decisions on treatment, but we may not know whether a fever is bacterial, viral, or something else until hours or days after a child has been admitted, when their test results come back. Such delays can stop patients getting the right treatment early on, so there is a clear and urgent need to improve diagnostics. Using this new approach, once it’s translated to near point of care devices, could be transformative for healthcare.”
Myrsini Kaforou (Credit: Thomas Angus)
A test using a single drop of blood to detect and distinguish between 18 infectious or infl ammatory diseases – including group B Streptococcus (GBS), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and tuberculosis – has been developed and validated by an international research team.
The preliminary fi ndings built on more than a decade of research to detect and diagnose illnesses based on patterns of gene expression, which led to the establishment of the DIAMONDS consortium in 2020 - an international project funded by the EU Horizon2020 programme and led by Imperial College London to develop rapid diagnostic tests for febrile illnesses.
Professor Michael Levin, Chair in Paediatrics & International Child Health within the Department of Infectious Disease at Imperial College London and co-senior author of the paper, explained that children brought in with a fever are treated
The study used data from thousands of patients including more than 1000 children with 18 infectious or infl ammatory diseases) to identify which key genes were switched ‘on’ or ‘off’ in response to a range of illnesses. Machine learning Machine learning was then applied to identify which patterns of gene expression corresponded to the specifi c disease areas and pathogens – focusing in on a panel of 161 genes for 18 conditions.
Dr Myrsini Kaforou, Senior Lecturer within Imperial’s Department of Infectious Disease and co-senior author of the paper, said: “This body of work has enabled us to identify the molecular signature of a wide range of diseases based on 161 genes, out of thousands of genes in the human genome. By distinguishing between many diseases at the same time within the same test, we have developed a more comprehensive and accurate model that aligns with the way clinicians think about diagnosis.
“With this initial proof-of-concept study, we’ve been able to show that our multi-disease machine-learning diagnostic approach works. This kind of advance is only possible through interdisciplinary collaboration and large research consortia, which bring together expertise from infectious disease, molecular science and bioinformatics,”
Michael Levine (Credit ICL)
The researchers stressed that a functional test is not yet available for clinical practice and their RNA transcript panel would require further adaptation, testing and translation into a readily usable platform/device before it could be approved by regulators.
As part of the DIAMONDS study, the next step would be to trial the approach in thousands of patients in hospitals in Europe, Africa and Asia.
Diagnosis of childhood febrile illness using a multi-class blood RNA molecular signature’ by Habgood-Coote, D. Wilson, C. Shimizu, C. et al. Published in Cell Press Med.
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Animal Free Research UK Celebrates Pioneer and Spotlight Awards
fi eld, leading the way in enabling the adoption of ground- breaking new technologies that are revolutionising the way we conduct medical research. We are thrilled to name her this year’s Pioneer.
“We are also proud to announce two new next generation spotlight awards. Our Outstanding Scientist 2023, Dr Adrian Biddle, has made a notable contribution to the fi eld of pioneering animal-free cancer research at the Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University London, inspiring countless young scientists to follow in his footsteps. Early in her profession, Sophie O’Kane is one to watch, her enthusiasm and commitment to pursuing an animal free career shines through in her work to date.”
Merel Ritskes-Hoitinga Sophie Helena O’Kane
Dr Merel Ritskes-Hoitinga, Leading Professsor of Evidence- Based Transition to Animal-free Innovations of Utrecht University, has been awarded Animal Free Research UK’s Pioneer Medal 2023. Now in its second year, this award celebrates the achievements of trailblazing scientists who conduct medical research without the use of animals. Last year the award was accepted by Dr Donald E Ingber of Harvard University.
Shining a light on the next generation of inspiring animal free researchers Dr Adrian Biddle of Queen Mary University London has been awarded the inaugural Outstanding Scientist 2023, and Sophie O’Kane of Karolinska Institutet is fi rst to be awarded Early Career Scientist 2023.
All three winners will receive a specially commissioned accolade during Animal Free Research UK’s Science Conference, taking place in Cambridge over October 4-5th, where each will deliver a lecture on their pioneering contribution to animal free research.
Animal Free Research UK’s Science Director Dr Jarrod Bailey said: “Dr Merel Ritskes-Hoitinga is an expert in her
Dr Merel Ritskes-Hoitinga, said: “It is a tremendous honour for me to receive the Animal Free Research UK Pioneer Award. I dedicate my education and research efforts to evidence-based acceleration towards the adoption of animal-free methodologies. This award serves as a motivating force propelling me towards achieving this critical objective, one that holds immense benefi ts for both animals and humans.”
Dr Adrian Biddle, said: “I am deeply honoured to win this Animal Free Research award. I have witnessed, over the past decade, the fantastic work that Animal Free Research UK does to raise the profi le of animal free research approaches in UK bioscience. It has been really rewarding to have been able to play a role in this. The future of animal free research is certainly bright, and I look forward to a future of technological innovation that enables further replacement of animals in research.”
Sophie O’Kane said: “Words cannot express how it feels to have been awarded the Early Career Scientist Award! To be recognised for something I have found to be as challenging as it has been fulfi lling is especially rewarding, and inspires me to call upon all scientists, young and old, to refl ect with
Adrian Biddle
an open-heart, to embrace novel alternative methods and to join us in the much needed race to replace non-human animals in human medical research.”
Animal Free Research UK CEO, Carla Owen, said: “The Pioneer Awards are a prestigious annual mark of achievement, elevating animal free research and researchers in the scientifi c community and inspiring the next generation of scientists. The decisions more and more scientists like Dr Merel Ritskes-Hoitinga, Dr Adrian Biddle and Sophie O’Kane make to champion animal replacement in their work is unlocking answers to the many questions we still have about diseases. Their groundbreaking work deserves to be recognised.”
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