Bioinformatics Group, Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science

Projects

CAGEKID is funded through the EU Framework Programme 7 to apply state-of-art genomic approaches to identify biomarkers of most common form of clear-cell renal carcinoma, the most common form of renal cell cancer (RCC). The CAGEKID investigations will meet a major need to identify novel biological markers for RCC, which is one of very few tumour types for which there are currently no biological markers that are in routine clinical use. RCC is a particularly serious public health problem within Europe, where the highest global incidence of disease is found. The incidence of RCC has been increasing in Europe over the last two decades, and it is now the 8th most common cancer.

The CAGEKID consortium brings together expertise clinical and epidemiological resources with genomic expertise. It is composed of 14 partners from 6 EU countries and Russia, and at the International Agency for Cancer Research in Lyon, France to achieve the goal of identifying of biomarkers for RCC through genomic characterisation of more than 500 tumours. The CAGEKID study forms part the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) effort, which has the goal of obtaining a comprehensive description of genomic, transcriptomic and epigenomic changes in 50 different tumour types and/or subtypes with the aim of elucidating the genomic changes present in the many forms of cancers that contribute to the burden of disease throughout the world.

European Network of Genomic And Genetic Epidemiology (ENGAGE)

ENGAGE is a research project funded with 12 million euros by the European Commission under the 7th Framework Programme-Health Theme. The project duration is five years, starting from January 1st, 2008. The ENGAGE Consortium has brought together 23 leading research organizations and two biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies across Europe and in Canada and Australia. ENGAGE aims to translate the wealth of data emerging from large-scale research in genetic and genomic epidemiology from European (and other) population cohorts into information relevant to future clinical applications. The concept of ENGAGE is to enable European researchers to identify large numbers of novel susceptibility genes that influence metabolic, behavioural and cardiovascular traits, and to study the interactions between genes and life style factors.

The ENGAGE consortium will integrate and analyse one of the largest ever human genetics dataset (more than 80,000 genome-wide association scans and DNAs and serum/plasma samples from over 600,000 individuals). One goal is to demonstrate that the findings from ENGAGE can be used as diagnostic indicators for common diseases that will help us to understand better risk factors, disease progression and why people differ in responses to treatment.

Molecular Phenotyping to Accelerate Genomic Epidemiology (MolPAGE)
2004 - 2008

MolPAGE is a 4-year project, funded by the European Union FP6 programme to the value of 12 million Euros that brings together a consortium of 18 leading academic institutions, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. The programme is jointly co-ordinated from Oxford University by Mark McCarthy and John Bell and aims to tackle diabetes and one of its major complications, vascular disease, at the level of genes, proteins and other biomarkers.

Diabetes is associated with a range of complications, including heart attacks, strokes, amputations and loss of vision. It is reaching epidemic proportions, with five to ten per cent of the adult populations in most developed countries suffering from the disease. It is even more prevalent in developing countries, where it is likely to become a major source of ill health and premature death over the next decade.

The goal of the MolPAGE project is to identify biomarkers that are able to highlight individuals likely to suffer from diabetes and vascular disease in the future long before they show any of the symptoms, biochemical abnormalities or other features typically used in the diagnosis of these conditions. An early diagnosis of the disease or the identification of those at risk has the potential of allowing more effective prevention programmes and better treatment of the disease.