Agilent Technologies will collaborate with the University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research in Brisbane, Australia, on oral cancer research.
Their goal is to increase understanding of the genomic differences between young and older patients with oral cancer, as well as the differences between progressive and nonprogressive oral potentially malignant lesions.
Agilent specializes in chemical analysis, life sciences, diagnostics, electronics, and communications.
Oral potentially malignant lesions (OPMLs), which are visible, morphologically altered precursors of many oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs), are important cancer prevention targets. The underlying reason for progression of OPML to OSCC is not fully understood. By implementing next-generation sequencing and data analysis, scientists can unravel the molecular genetic basis of these diseases, potentially leading to the development of targeted preventive therapies.
For the new study, researchers will follow DNA obtained from OPMLs and OSCCs from both young and older patients and sequential biopsies from patients with OPML for at least seven years from initial clinical diagnosis. Protein-coding regions for the DNA will be selectively enriched using Agilent's SureSelect target enrichment system, followed by DNA sequencing. The data will be analyzed at the Queensland Facility for Advanced Bioinformatics, which will compare DNA alterations at different stages of carcinogenesis.
