R202, Astronomy-Mathematics Building, NTU
(台灣大學天文數學館 202室)
Blood Test for Non-invasive Diagnostics: Counting DNA
Dana Tsui (Wolfson College, University of Cambridge)
This talk will discuss the development of a blood test for disease management by counting the number of cell-free DNA molecules in the blood stream. During certain physiological conditions, such as pregnancy disorders or cancer, DNA from the fetus or cancer cells are broken to small pieces and released in to the blood circulation. These pieces of DNA molecules, if counted strategically, allow one to infer the representations of different chromosomes from the original cells, and provide a non-invasive way to study if there are any genetic abnormalities in the developing fetus or cancer cells. This forms the basis of a safe and effective way to manage pregnancy and cancer development.
