UK’s first robotic genomic testing facility for most cancers sufferers launches

For the primary time within the UK, robotic expertise is getting used to help genomic testing for most cancers sufferers following a partnership between The Royal Marsden NHS Basis Belief and Automata Applied sciences, a number one automation firm powering automation in life sciences labs.

The modern set up will double the Belief’s genomics testing capability and increase the vary of exams it may possibly carry out inside its present laboratory area. Sufferers from the hospital and past will profit from elevated entry to genomic testing, which will help determine potential threat of most cancers, diagnose the illness, and personalise therapies. By automating repetitive and time-consuming duties, it is going to additionally give laboratory technologists and scientists extra time for very important improvement work.

Via Automata’s LINQ platform, pattern pathways for saliva, tissue biopsies, blood and bone marrow are being automated. LINQ is a ‘sensible’ laboratory bench that homes and connects tools utilizing robotic and digital expertise. Outfitted with six robotic arms, the specialist most cancers middle’s set up will considerably enhance the throughput of the most cancers testing lab with out compromising on accuracy.

Because the most cancers testing laboratory for the North Thames Genomics Laboratory Hub – certainly one of seven hubs in England – The Royal Marsden at the moment offers somatic testing for North London, Hertfordshire and Mid and South Essex. This type of genomic testing identifies genetic adjustments in most cancers cells that drive tumour development and offers a goal for personalised most cancers remedy.

With elevated capability due to automation, the hospital is not going to solely have the ability to course of extra somatic exams but in addition launch new genetic – or most cancers germline – testing. This sort of genomic testing identifies inherited genetic adjustments that may enhance threat of most cancers and, for sufferers with the illness, will also be used to determine the correct therapies. It can primarily take a look at for mutations within the BRCA genes, which might affect threat of assorted cancers together with breast and ovarian.

The brand new testing functionality will help analysis into genetics and most cancers, such because the BRCA-DIRECT mainstreaming pilot. Led by Dr Clare Turnbull, Professor of Translational Most cancers Genetics at The Institute of Most cancers Analysis, London, and Marketing consultant in Medical Most cancers Genetics at The Royal Marsden NHS Basis Belief, with funding from the NHS Most cancers Programme Small Enterprise Analysis Initiative (SBRI) the undertaking is aiming to spice up BRCA gene testing entry for breast most cancers sufferers and their members of the family by a easy, digital pathway.

The brand new robotic facility is housed within the Sharjah Medical Genomics Laboratory within the Nationwide Institute for Well being and Care Analysis (NIHR) Centre for Molecular Pathology (CMP) at The Royal Marsden. The NIHR CMP is supported by funding from the Nationwide Institute for Well being Analysis Biomedical Analysis Centre at The Royal Marsden and The Institute of Most cancers Analysis, London, and The Royal Marsden Most cancers Charity.

“Over 90 % of our genomics samples will go by the brand new automated laboratory, which blends new and present tools to make one of the best use of area. Our extremely certified laboratory employees are delighted with the ability which has freed them up from repetitive and time-consuming duties to concentrate on high quality and repair improvement.

The robots are versatile, environment friendly and enjoyable to work with too. Excitingly, this technique additionally has the potential to someday cut back prices and turnaround occasions which can profit sufferers and the broader NHS. We’re extremely excited to be the primary laboratory within the nation to make use of this expertise for genomic most cancers testing and look ahead to additional developments sooner or later.” 

Professor Michael Hubank, Scientific Director of Medical Genomics at The Royal Marsden NHS Basis Belief and Professor of Translational Genomics at The Institute of Most cancers Analysis, London

We’re proud that our partnership with The Royal Marsden has delivered the UK’s first totally automated system for scientific most cancers genomic testing. This collaboration marks only the start of what automation can obtain for the NHS and inside healthcare extra broadly.

By utilizing end-to-end lab automation to extend genomic testing capability, we’re not solely streamlining processes but in addition elevating nationwide most cancers care. Collectively, we’re pioneering options that can redefine the usual of care and positively affect affected person outcomes.”

Mostafa ElSayed, CEO, Automata

About The Royal Marsden NHS Basis Belief 

The Royal Marsden opened its doorways in 1851 because the world’s first hospital devoted to most cancers analysis, remedy, analysis and schooling.

Right now, along with its tutorial accomplice, The Institute of Most cancers Analysis (ICR), it’s the largest and most complete most cancers middle in Europe seeing and treating over 59,000 NHS and personal sufferers yearly. It’s a middle of excellence with a global repute for groundbreaking analysis and pioneering the very newest in most cancers therapies and applied sciences.

The Royal Marsden, with the ICR, is the one Nationwide Institute for Well being and Care Analysis Biomedical Analysis Centre for Most cancers. This helps pioneering analysis work carried out over quite a few completely different most cancers themes.

The Royal Marsden Most cancers Charity raises cash solely to help The Royal Marsden, a world-leading most cancers middle. It ensures Royal Marsden nurses, medical doctors and analysis groups can present the easiest care and develop life-saving therapies, that are used throughout the UK and all over the world.

From funding state-of-the-art tools and ground-breaking analysis, to creating the easiest affected person environments, The Royal Marsden Most cancers Charity won’t ever cease on the lookout for methods to enhance the lives of individuals affected by most cancers.