Liquid biopsies have transformed cancer diagnostics by enabling minimally invasive genomic profiling from blood. While circulating tumour DNA mutation analysis has become increasingly established in clinical practice, the next generation of liquid biopsy technologies is expanding well beyond mutation detection.
This presentation will highlight emerging approaches including, profiling DNA methylation to improve cancer detection, treatment selection and disease monitoring. Through translational research examples, the talk will discuss how these novel assays are being developed, and the opportunities and challenges in bringing next-generation liquid biopsy technologies into routine clinical care.
The Forum is a comprehensive educational initiative offering multi-disciplinary insights into Precision Oncology. Monthly sessions feature expert presentations, interactive discussions, and real-world case studies, aimed at scientists, clinicians, industry professionals, and students.
Cases are discussed on an individual, de-identified basis.
Dr Huiling Xu
Senior Research Fellow, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Dr Joep Vissers
Curation Scientist Team Leader, the University of Melbourne
Dr Stephen Wong
Head, Cancer Genomics Translational Research Centre
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Dr. Stephen Wong is a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia and a recipient of both an NHMRC Emerging Leader Award and a Victorian Cancer Agency Mid-Career Fellowship. He leads the design and delivery of translational research programs for academic and commercial partners, focusing on developing advanced genomic technologies. He has coordinated multiple large-scale studies and successfully translated genomic assays into biomarker-driven clinical trials and routine diagnostics. His expertise spans next-generation sequencing, circulating biomarkers, computational biology and biostatistics, with over 70 publications to date.
Content warning: The VCCC Alliance Precision Oncology Forum is aimed primarily at a clinical audience and features open discussion about real cases and patients. While these cases are de-identified, the imagery, content and discussion can be graphic.
