Molecular Diagnostics UZ Ghent (MDG)
Mission
Ghent University Hospital created the innovative platform Molecular Diagnostics Ghent (MDG), in which 3 different departments of the clinic (Clinical Biology, Pathological Anatomy and Center for Medical Genetics (CMGG)) are combining their forces to enable precision medicine in cancer. The main goal of MDG is to perform reliable molecular analysis of tumor tissue with high sensitivity and specificity to guide correct diagnosis, prognosis and personalized medicine of cancer patients. Therefore, MDG developed in-house gene panels for targeted PCR-based massive parallel sequencing (MPS) with MiSEQ (Illumina) for the detection of somatic mutations in specific genes in solid tumor and hematological cancer samples. Hitherto, MDG is accredited for mutation detection in specific genes in metastatic colorectal carcinomas and gastro intestinal stromal tumors. The accreditation for the molecular analysis of specific hematological cancers will follow soon. Interestingly, our in-house developed gene panels can easily be extended with novel candidate gene targets by adding extra PCR amplicons to the existing MPS assay. Moreover, our cost-effective strategy can be easily adapted to establish novel gene panels for other cancer types and acquired diseases. Furthermore, novel molecular tests can efficiently be developed using the various expertise’s in the MDG platform. MDG is currently developing novel molecular tests for MGMT methylation profiling in brain tumors, HPV detection in cervical cancer and hotspot mutation detection in liquid biopsies. Finally, MDG would like to set up partnerships to collaborate in clinical studies.
More information on services:
- ddPCR for hotspot mutation detection in liquid biopsies of solid tumor patients
- PCR-based targeted sequencing on MiSeq for mutation analysis (SNV and indel ) of small gene panels for solid tumors and hematological malignancies
- MGMT promotor methylation assay using bisulfite treatment and qMSP
Team
- dr. ir. Joni Van der Meulen - scientific collaborator & supervisor MDG
- dr. Siebe Loontiens - scientific collaborator & supervisor MDG
- prof. Kathleen Claes - laboratory supervisor DNA lab CMGG
- prof. David Creytens - head of clinic, department Pathological Anatomy
- prof. Elfride De Baere - head of DNA lab CMGG
- Elien De Latter - technician MDG
- apr. biol. Barbara Denys - clinical biologist of department Clinical Biology
- prof. Kim De Leeneer - FORD coordinator CMGG
- prof. Bruce Poppe - head of department CMGG
- ir. Isabelle Rottiers - technician of department Pathological Anatomy
- prof. Frank Speleman - head of cytogenetics lab CMGG
- Greta Van der Cruyssen - quality manager CMGG
- prof. Nadine Van Roy - laboratory supervisor cytogenetics lab CMGG
- Lies Vandemaele - quality manager of department Pathological Anatomy
- dr. sc. Karl Vandepoele - scientific collaborator of department Clinical Biology
- prof. Jo Vandesompele - laboratory supervisor cytogenetics lab CMGG
- prof. Jo Van Dorpe - head of department Pathological Anatomy
- prof. dr. Bruno Verhasselt - head of department Clinical Biology
Contact
- dr. ir. Joni Van der Meulen - scientific collaborator & supervisor MDG
- Molecular Diagnostics UZ Ghent (MDG), Ghent University Hospital, Medical Research Building 1 (MRB1, first floor, office 110.029), Corneel Heymanslaan 10, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
- +32 9 3323971