Singapore General Hospital & Thermo Fisher Scientific Collaborate to Identify the Prevalence of Asian-Specific Genetic Mutati...

Singapore General Hospital (SGH) and Thermo Fisher Scientific today announced the establishment of a collaborative partnership that will work to identify cancer genetic mutations linked with Asian populations on Thermo Fisher’s Ion Torrent next-generation sequencing (NGS) platform.

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The research collaboration will take phased approaches to analyze retrospective samples from cancer patients with Asian ancestry to identify the mutational profiles and their differences from existing data of reference populations, which principally contain data from individuals of Caucasian ancestry. In the first phase of the project, SGH will perform a validation study using the Ion Torrent PGM platform and the Oncomine Comprehensive Assay. The project will then move to NGS-based prospective data analysis of multiple cancers by using formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissues and potentially other types of clinical samples to realize the highest levels of data acquisition that will lead to new tests with clinical actionability in the future.

"This collaboration with Singapore General Hospital underscores our sustained commitment to serve our global customers in their respective oncology research and clinical communities,” said Mike Nolan, vice president and general manager of Oncology for Thermo Fisher Scientific. “We will continue on this path of providing the most advanced tools that add great value in the global effort to manage cancer.”

“Investigating the differences in cancer gene mutations among different populations is an essential factor in advancing healthcare in a multiracial and multicultural society,” said Prof Tan Puay Hoon, Head, Department of Pathology, SGH. “This partnership will enable the oncology community to take steps towards realising better and personalised care in the region.”

This research started in May and is part of the POLARIS@SingHealth programme funded by A*STAR to enable cutting-edge omics technologies and translating them for disease diagnosis and treatment in Singapore in the future. This will be actualized by establishing the necessary infrastructure and resources, together with its clinical partners.

The project is supported in part by the Central R&D organisation of the Life Sciences Solutions Group of Thermo Fisher Scientific.

About Singapore General Hospital

Singapore General Hospital, a member of Singapore Health Services, is the public sector's flagship hospital. Established in 1821, SGH is Singapore's largest acute tertiary hospital with 1,600 beds and national referral centre offering a comprehensive range of 36 clinical specialties on its campus. Every year, about 1 million Singaporeans benefit from advanced medical care delivered by its 800 specialists. As an academic healthcare institution and the bedrock of medical education, SGH plays a key role in nurturing doctors, nurses and allied health professionals, and is committed to innovative translational and clinical research in her continual strive to provide the best care and outcomes to her patients.www.sgh.com.sg

About Thermo Fisher Scientific

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO) is the world leader in serving science, with revenues of $17 billion and approximately 50,000 employees in 50 countries. Our mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. We help our customers accelerate life sciences research, solve complex analytical challenges, improve patient diagnostics and increase laboratory productivity. Through our premier brands – Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific and Unity Lab Services – we offer an unmatched combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and comprehensive support. For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com.

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Thermo Fisher ScientificMauricio Minotta, [e-mail] General HospitalCarol Ang, [e-mail]