Project description
Circular DNA as a novel diagnostic biomarker
Circular DNA is emerging as a novel biomarker for many types of cancer and inflammatory disorders. However, we lack the technology for detecting circular DNA and for generating appropriate disease models. To address this problem, the EU-funded CIRCULAR VISION project will use lung cancer and inflammatory bowel disease to investigate the link between disease and circular DNA. Scientists will combine microfluidics, DNA sequencing and bioinformatics to identify new biomarkers and develop novel approaches for cancer diagnosis. The generated technology will pave the way for future research and drug development in the field.
Objective
Many human diseases, including cancers and inflammatory disorders, are associated with the production of ‘circular DNA’ from chromosomes. These molecules have potential as biomarkers, and in the case of cancers are potential drivers of disease progression. However, the technology for detecting circular DNA and for creating disease models is lacking, meaning we cannot explore their potential use in diagnostics. CIRCULAR VISIONs goal is to explore the new opportunities circular DNA creates in early diagnosis and monitoring of disease, particularly screening, and to create an experimental system to understand the link between disease and circular DNA.
CIRCULAR VISION will explore this brand new territory by creating highly sensitive whole genome screens for circular DNA that correlate with disease, using lung cancer (LC) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) as model examples. We develop and combine novel methods in molecular biology, microfluidics, DNA sequencing and bioinformatics in order to identify new diagnostic markers. Such markers for IBD and LC will then be adapted to clinical diagnosis and prognosis using advanced image analysis and cytometry methods. Finally, CIRCULAR VISION will show the causal link between circular DNA and cancer, by producing disease models with oncogenes on circular DNA.
CIRCULAR VISION assembles key pioneers in the emerging field of circular DNA with leading clinical experts and key commercial players in cytometry and genomics. We are convinced that our technology has broad applications in early noninvasive diagnosis of cancer and monitoring of inflammatory diseases. We believe our technology will lay the foundation for future research into circular DNA biology and spur future drug development.
Fields of science
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacydrug discovery
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsDNA
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologylung cancer
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicinegastroenterologyinflammatory bowel disease
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsgenomes
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
1165 Kobenhavn
Denmark