Front Line Genomics

Proteomics is transforming our understanding of biology. While genomics provides the blueprint, proteomics reveals the dynamic molecular processes that underpin health and disease, offering insights into biological activity that DNA alone cannot capture. Advances in mass spectrometry, affinity-based technologies, protein sequencing and artificial intelligence are accelerating discovery across biomarker research, drug development and precision medicine.

Liquid biopsy is rapidly transforming how cancer is detected, monitored, and treated. While major progress has been made in identifying tumour-derived signals in blood, the central challenge now is translating these advances into robust, clinically deployable tools that improve patient outcomes. This three-part webinar series moves beyond the hype to focus on what it takes to bring liquid biopsy into routine clinical practice.

High-resolution spatial transcriptomics and imaging-based technologies are now generating large-scale, multi-dimensional datasets that are beginning to reshape how we understand tissue organisation, disease mechanisms and cellular interactions. At the same time, the field is facing an array of challenges. Scaling spatial data across tissues, integrating multi-omic layers, and translating complex spatial outputs into biologically meaningful insights remain key barriers to adoption.

We were delighted to have had the chance to sit down with Cigall Kadoch, Professor at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute recently. In this interview, Cigall discusses her research into chromatin remodelling complexes and their role in health and disease, and how emerging technologies are enabling deeper insights.

What has been going on in the life sciences world this week? Find out in this week's edition of Week in Brief. A clinical trial of an injectable immunotherapy for head and neck cancer has shown promising results, with treatment leading to tumour shrinkage in over 40% of patients. The approach blocks cancer drivers, stimulates the immune system and could improve outcomes for patients with difficult-to-treat disease.

Scalable, multimodal and AI-enabled approaches are increasingly being used in single cell analysis. Researchers are also combining different types of single-cell data, including spatial biology and perturbation studies, to better understand how cells behave and interact.

What do pharma leaders say about AI when the doors are closed? Earlier this year, we brought together 31 senior pharma experts who are responsible for the deployment of AI initiatives, from companies including AstraZeneca, GSK, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi, Roche, UCB, Recursion and Relation Therapeutics. We asked them about how AI is forcing change in pharma R&D, how they are navigating this changing landscape, and strategic recommendations for those who are embedding AI into their pipeline.

What has been going on in the life sciences world this week? Find out in this week’s edition of Week in Brief. Scientists have developed a computational tool that improves the assembly of highly repetitive bird genomes, which have historically been difficult to reconstruct accurately. The method enables more complete genome maps and could support future studies into bird evolution, biodiversity and the genetic basis of unique avian traits.

What has been going on in the life sciences world this week? Find out in this week’s edition of Week in Brief. Using a mouse model, researchers have demonstrated a precision DNA editing strategy that corrects a mutation responsible for a severe form of childhood epilepsy. The treatment reduced seizures and improved survival, highlighting the potential of one-off genomic therapies that address the underlying cause of neurological disease rather than only managing symptoms.

What’s been going on in the life sciences world this week? Check out Week in Brief for an overview of the biggest news from the last seven days. A study has revealed that a common local anaesthetic can prevent neuroblastoma cells from invading surrounding tissue. The findings support a model that suggests cancer cells use voltage-gated sodium channels to spread, as the anaesthetic, tetracaine, inhibits these channels.