qPCR dPCR & NGS 2017 -- Talk and Poster Sessions

You want to talk at our event?   Please contact Michael W. Pfaffl   qPCR-dPCR-NGS-2017@wzw.tum.de

Main topic:   Liquid Biopsy & Circulating Nucleic Acids
The capture of whole, circulating tumor cells (CTCs) was the initial focus of liquid biopsy. Today it includes the collection of cell-free nucleic acids (cell free DNA & RNA) and all type of micro-vesicles (incl. exosomes), to provide useful information on the physiological status. The session includes any kind of circulating nucleic acids families (DNA, RNA, small RNAs, microRNAs, piRNAs, and long ncRNAs). One focus will be on exosome or micro-vesicles isolation & purification, amount & size quantification, and biomarker characterisation techniques, including intra-cellular, membrane bound protein or lipid markers.

Main topic:   Advanced Molecular Diagnostics
This session is focusing on the application of highly sophisticated methods, application and algorithms to discover, detect, and validate molecular diagnostic marker or biomarker signatures. A special focus is lying on the integrative analysis of multi-level biomarkers, e.g. microRNA – mRNA, integrative analysis of genomic, proteomic, metabolomic and phenotypic markers.

Main topic:   Integrative Big Data Analysis
The data analysis in RT-qPCR expression profiling and NGS experiments is still challenging and time consuming. It is well known, that a lot of error is introduced by wrong experimental study design, poor sample and group normalisation or differential gene expression analysis. This session is focusing on the application of useful new algorithms & data analysis methods to getter better and more reliable results, e.g. R-based freeware, and software applications for data mining and comparison, calculation of relative expression, for any kind of nucleic acid (mRNA, microRNA, piRNA). One focus of this session will be the integrative analysis of multi-level biomarkers (mainly the microRNA-mRNA), mathematical modelling, multivariate expression profiling, statistics in NGS and qPCR, multiple regression analysis, 3D data visualization, and more.

Main topic:   Biomarker Signatures
A session about the discovery, detection and validation of molecular biomarkers:  diagnostic, prognostic or therapeutic markers on DNA, RNA, microRNA or small RNA, metabolome and proteome level (e.g. disease markers, cancer or stem-cells markers, tissue specific markers, differentiation markers, methylation markers). New assay systems will be presented like high throughput proteomics (MS based proteome map), PLA (Proximity Ligation Assay) or PEA (Proximity Elongation Assay).

Digital PCR
Digital PCR (dPCR) can be used to directly quantify and clonally amplify nucleic acids including DNA, cDNA, mRNA, microRNA or any other small-RNA species. It allows a more reliable collection and highly sensitive measurement of nucleic acid amounts, applications in copy number variants, point mutations in molecular diagnostics.

Non-coding RNAs -- microRNA, isomiRs, small RNAs, long non-coding RNAs
This session is dedicated to the family of non-coding RNA and its RNAi mechanism and applications. A new focus will be on the identification and the data analysis & modelling of new isomiR biomarkers and long non-coding RNAs. RT-qPCR or small RNA Seq technologies to quantify small & long non-coding RNAs and other classes of small RNAs, like piRNAs. Further siRNA knock down applications, microRNA targets and microRNA precursors, new siRNA manipulation, etc. will be presented.

MicroGenomics & Single-Cells Diagnostics
Focus in this session is on micro-genomics, the application of molecular methods to detect biomarkers in a minimal amount of tissue or any biological matrix. New applications in single-cell biology will be presented: isolation, separation, characterisation technologies, laser micro dissection, capturing of circulating tumour cells (CTC), pre-amplification techniques, sub-cellular PCR, micro-manipulation of cell clusters, cellular micro injection, single-cell handling, FACS sorting and spotting.

Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)
NGS applications offers new holistic analysis of any kind of nucleic acid, to investigate the Genome, Exome, Epigenome, Transcriptome and Splicome (total RNA, microRNA, small RNA Seq, long ncRNA), CHIP purified nucleic acids, etc.

Various NGS sub-sessions will be presented:

  • NGS overview talks - information technology in the era of NGS & diagnostic applications
  • Pre NGS - sample preparation & setup & library generation
  • NGS – new sequencing technologies (e.g. in-situ, single molecule and pore sequencing)
  • NGS – data analysis (data management, mapping, alignment algorithms, data de novo assembly )

Molecular Diagnostics in Life Science
This session is dedicated to molecular diagnostics in Life Science, with focus on Agriculture, Veterinary Medicine, Food and Environmental Science, which is the major research focus at the TUM School of Life Science Campus Weihenstephan. All applications of highly sophisticated quantification methods, field application or algorithms to research the wide field of agro-veterinarian or life science are very welcome.

MIQE & QM & Standardisation Strategies in Molecular Diagnostics
This session is focusing on standardisation strategies and quality management in molecular diagnostics. The goal is to guarantee better and more valid results. Of special interest in the context of qPCR or dPCR are the MIQE guidelines (minimum information for publication of quantitative real-time PCR experiments). Following these guidelines will encourage better experimental practice, allowing more reliable and unequivocal interpretation of qPCR and dPCR results.

Technical Lunch-Time Seminars:
Technical lunch-time seminars can be booked by companies to promote their technologies.


Please direct your enquiry to our scientific organisation team, headed by Michael W. Pfaffl  qPCR-dPCR-NGS-2017@wzw.tum.de
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