Systems Medicine and Biomarker discovery

In a joint effort with several leading research institutions worldwide, scientists at the University of Glasgow have developed a test that detects the onset of a range of diseases, before the occurrence of classic symptoms; these include coronary artery disease (CAD), preeclampsia, chronic kidney disease (CKD), diabetic nephropathy (DN), prostate and bladder cancer.
The non-invasive test, based on the analysis of the urinary proteome, can assist in the early diagnosis of a number of diseases, in monitoring their progress and in the efficacy of their treatment. In addition, the identification of the individual disease biomarkers and the proteins that they originate from provides an insight to the pathophysiological changes that occur at the onset of the disease. The researchers aim to utilize this knowledge in the development of novel drug candidates.

The biomarkers research group is primarily focussed in clinical proteomics. We have a number of project identifying pre-symptomatic signs of disease to allow early intervention. In addition we are investigating the changes occurring in the affected tissues. This data can be combined with metabolomics analysis through bioinformatics to form a systems medicine approach to the study of diseases.

Publications

1. Husi H, Stephens N, Cronshaw A, MacDonald A, Gallagher I, Greig C, Fearon KC, Ross JA. Proteomic analysis of urinary upper gastrointestinal cancer markers. Proteomics Clin. Appl. 2011;5:289-299.
2. Husi H, Fearon KC, Ross JA.  Can a simple proteomics urine test assist in the early diagnosis of early-stage cancer? Expert Rev. Proteomics 2011;8:555-557.
3. Skipworth RJ, Husi H, Ross JA. How close are we to finding noninvasive markers for upper GI tract cancer? Future Oncol. 2011;7:1121-1124.