Is this the real time for genomics?
In the last decades, molecular biology has moved from gene-by-gene analysis to more complex studies using a genome-wide scale. Thanks to high-throughput genomic technologies, such as microarrays and next-generation sequencing, a huge amount of information has been generated, expanding our knowledge on the genetic basis of various diseases. Although some of this information could be transferred to clinical diagnostics, the technologies available are not suitable for this purpose. In this review, we will discuss the drawbacks associated with the use of traditional DNA microarrays in diagnostics, pointing out emerging platforms that could overcome these obstacles and offer a more reproducible, qualitative and quantitative multigenic analysis. New miniaturized and automated devices, called Lab-on-Chip, begin to integrate PCR and microarray on the same platform, offering integrated sample-to-result systems. The introduction of this kind of innovative devices may facilitate the transition of genome-based tests into clinical routine.
['Guarnaccia|Maria|M|', 'Gentile|Giulia|G|', 'Alessi|Enrico|E|', 'Schneider|Claudio|C|', 'Petralia|Salvatore|S|', 'Cavallaro|Sebastiano|S|']
D000818:Animals D023281:Genomics D059014:High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing D006801:Humans D056656:Lab-On-A-Chip Devices D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
Next-generation sequencing Diagnostics Lab-on-Chip Genome-based tests Point-of-Care Real-time microarray