In partnership with the leading global biotech company Illumina, researchers from the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences are powering innovations in genomics that can be translated into the healthcare system to improve treatments and outcomes for patients, including those with difficult-to-diagnose cancer.
Combining expertise and resources for more effective and affordable healthcare
Simply put, genomics examines the complete set of genetic information in cells.
Using rapid gene sequencing, Illumina and the University of Melbourne are pooling their research expertise, supported by their respective organisational infrastructure, systems, and analytic expertise, to ensure affordable, scalable next-generation genomic sequencing is incorporated into routine clinical care.
Focusing on genomics-based biomedical research and innovation in detecting and managing diseases such as cancer, the Illumina-University of Melbourne partnership has established The Advanced Genomics Collaboration, which consists of three core platforms: clinical genomics, bioinformatics, and health economics.
These platforms will enable the Melbourne Biomedical Precinct to capitalise on its competitive advantage in genomics research underpinned by cloud-based informatics infrastructure to deliver genomics at scale for flagship and future innovation projects.
Targeting difficult to diagnose, difficult-to-treat cancers through clinical genomics and bioinformatics
The Clinical Genomics Platform, led by the University of Melbourne’s Professor Sean Grimmond, drives precision oncology and other non-cancer-related genomics research. Using rapid genomic analysis and diagnostics—on samples collected from tissue biopsies or simple blood tests—Professor Grimmond’s team is exploring mutational signatures of DNA and their contributions to individual tumours.
The flagship program of the Clinical Genomics Platform, the Cancer of Low Survival and Unmet Need Initiative, targets the most challenging cancer cases through sequencing patient genomes. Reports are then provided to treating clinicians with crucial information about specific tumours to better inform the selection of therapies according to individual genomic profiles of patients.
Researchers working on the TAGC Bioinformatics Platform generate massive datasets of patient information to map their entire genome – as opposed to a single panel of DNA – to provide rapid diagnosis for more targeted and effective treatments for patients.
Led by Professor Oliver Hofmann, the Genomics Platform Group is working to improve the scale and reliability of sequencing workflows for better detection of changes in cancer genomes, providing treating clinicians with tumour data they can access in real-time to assist diagnosis and individualised treatment of cancer patients.
Translating genomics into health services for improved treatment and economic management through health economics
Together with government partners, researchers within the Health Economics Platform are working to develop an evidence base to provide targeted information for public policymakers to ensure economic and service improvements in public health sectors, particularly in hospital settings.
The platform’s first three streams will establish a linked data-set platform, develop health economic models of liquid biopsies, and undertake advanced molecular testing. Collectively, the research will drive evidence-based interventions in health services, improve early detection and treatment of cancer, and inform difficult-to-diagnose cancers.
Supporting medical research into the future