CANCER DISCOVERY HUB
Welcome!
The Cancer Discovery Hub (CDH) is a one-stop multi-omics molecular diagnostic core facility housed at the National Cancer Centre Singapore. We specialise in state-of-the-art research-grade technologies and provide expert support to investigators on all cancer related projects.
RECENT UPDATES
SERVICES AVAILABLE
Project consultation
Discussion on study feasibility, experimental design, manpower requirements, project costs, service needs and collaboration opportunities.
Sample extraction
Provides a range of genomic material (e.g. DNA/RNA) extraction services from fresh or FFPE tissue, as well as blood-based analytes, including stringent QC before downstream NGS applications.
NGS library preparation
Range of NGS services from custom target capture and amplicon sequencing. Provides direct liaison with established third-party NGS vendors. Custom epigenetics assays e.g. ChIP-seq and DNA methylation sequencing, are also available on case-by-case basis.
NanoString nCounter system
The NanoString nCounter MAX system utilizes a novel digital colour-coded barcode technology that is based on direct multiplexed measurement of gene expression and offers high levels of precision and sensitivity (<1 copy per cell).
Silicon Biosystems DEPArray system
Unique automated system for trapping, manipulation, and recovery of selected rare individual cells for downstream analysis of live or fixed cells, including next generation sequencing applications.
10X Genomics Chromium
High throughput single cell transcriptomic analysis via 3’ or 5' end counting determines gene expression and characterizes cells of a heterogeneous population. In addition to expression profiling, the 5' assay enables immune profiling by enriching barcoded cDNA for V(D)J sequences of T or B cells.
10X Genomics Visium
State-of-the-art technology that is able to combine spatially-resolved whole transcriptome analysis with morphological context, complementing single cell gene expression information.
Bioinformatics services
Range of services including basic QC metrics, variant calling, mutation signature analysis, metagenomics, gene expression and pathway analyses.
Tumor model creation
Range of customized tumor model creation services including patient-derived xenografts, primary cell-lines, organoids (in development). Contact us for more details.
Functional assays
Western blot, polymerase chain reaction, immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, laser capture microdissection, cell-based assays etc. can be provided on a case-by-case basis. Contact us for more details.
FEATURED PUBLICATIONS
Scientific publications supported by the Cancer Discovery Hub
HER2 expression, copy number variation and survival outcomes in HER2-low non-metastatic breast cancer: an international multicentre cohort study and TCGA-METABRIC analysis
BMC Medicine. 2022
Mar, 2022
HER2-low breast cancer (BC) is currently an area of active interest. This study evaluated the impact of low expression of HER2 on survival outcomes in HER2-negative non-metastatic breast cancer (BC).
Patients with HER2-negative non-metastatic BC from 6 centres within the Asian Breast Cancer Cooperative Group (ABCCG) (n = 28,280) were analysed. Results: ABCCG cohort median follow-up was 6.6 years; there were 12,260 (43.4%) HER2-low BC and 16,020 (56.6%) HER2-zero BC. The outcomes were better in HER2-low BC than in HER2-zero BC (RFS: centre-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 0.88, 95% CI 0.82-0.93, P < 0.001; OS: centre-adjusted HR 0.82, 95% CI 0.76-0.89, P < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, HER2-low status was prognostic (RFS: HR 0.90, 95% CI 0.85-0.96, P = 0.002; OS: HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.79-0.93, P < 0.001). These differences remained significant in hormone receptor-positive tumours and for OS in hormone receptor-negative tumours. Superior outcomes were observed for HER2 IHC1+ BC versus HER2-zero BC (RFS: HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.83-0.96, P = 0.001; OS: HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.78-0.93, P = 0.001). Conclusions: HER2-low BC had a superior prognosis compared to HER2-zero BC in the non-metastatic setting, though absolute differences were modest and driven by HER2 IHC 1+ BC. ERBB2 CNV merits further investigation in HER2-negative BC.
