ERIC 2020 | The future directions of CLL research: mechanisms of pathogenesis and novel biomarkers
Andreas Agathangelidis, PhD, Center for Research and Technology Hellas, Thermi, Greece, discusses the future directions of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) research. New technologies, such as next-generation sequencing (NGS), allow more information to be available to understand the mechanisms of pathogenesis and find novel biomarkers to better assess prognosis. This interview took place during the European Research Initiative on CLL (ERIC) International Virtual Meeting 2020.
Transcript (edited for clarity)
The main, let’s say, issue, or that we now face, is that we are living in the era of next-generation sequencing and in general high-throughput technologies. So I think that the main areas of interest have to do with, let’s say, our adaptation to these novel areas. We have new technology, so we have much more information now to deal with. And the thing that our main purpose now should be to somehow try and get the most advantage that we can get from this much larger amount of information that we get...
The main, let’s say, issue, or that we now face, is that we are living in the era of next-generation sequencing and in general high-throughput technologies. So I think that the main areas of interest have to do with, let’s say, our adaptation to these novel areas. We have new technology, so we have much more information now to deal with. And the thing that our main purpose now should be to somehow try and get the most advantage that we can get from this much larger amount of information that we get.
For example, we have some current projects that are running that have to do with our understanding of the biological mechanisms that contribute to the pathogenesis of CLL, such as the somatic hypermutation mechanism, and also, for example, affinity maturation.
So I can say to keep it simple that from one point what we are trying to do is to better understand mechanisms that are involved in the pathogenesis of the disease, and on the other hand try to see if we can find novel biomarkers that could help us better assess the prognosis and the prediction for patients.
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