Webinar: Applications and Challenges of Using ctDNA as Non-Invasive Tumor Markers

A GenomeWeb webinar on the Applications and Challenges of Using ctDNA as Non-Invasive Tumor Markers, recorded on Thursday, April 12, 2018. Liquid biopsies are becoming increasingly important for the detection of actionable mutations in cancer due to tumor heterogeneity as well as the practical limitations of invasive tissue biopsies. Recent technological developments enable the use of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as cancer biomarkers as a non-invasive complement and potentially even substitute for tissue biopsies. The current research applications of ctDNA in cancer detection with potential for improved therapy guidance and monitoring as well as critical challenges impeding liquid biopsy analysis and ways to overcome these challenges are all discussed.
The webinar is presented by Dr. Alexander Sartori, PhD, Scientific Affairs Manager at Agena Bioscience, a chemist with a PhD from the University of Kiel in cell biology. Alexander has previously worked at Applied Biosystems in the field of Sanger Sequencing and qPCR and at Life Technologies (Thermo Fisher) in Application Development, developing clinical NGS panels in Oncology and Hematology. He has several years of experience in collaboration management and interaction with international consortia. Alexander joined Agena Bioscience in 2015 as Manager of Scientific Affairs in the EMEA region, where he manages clinical collaborative initiatives with a focus on liquid biopsies and Agena’s contribution to major European consortia in this field.