A clinical-research-industry collaboration to bring blood genomics to cancer patients in New Zealand

New genomic technologies are changing the face of cancer care, as well as accelerating our biological understanding of cancer. Cris will summarise several parallel cancer initiatives in New Zealand that link blood plasma genomic technologies with solid tumour genomics and traditional pathology. He will discuss his team’s positive experience collaborating across clinical, academic and industry boundaries, the challenges of interpreting ctDNA derived from multiple metastatic tumours in one patient, and challenges of integrating blood plasma genomic information with other more traditional clinical and pathological information. Cris will suggest for discussion a 5-year vision of blood genomic technologies for cancer patients in small countries like New Zealand, and suggest that these technologies may help address health inequities for both Indigenous Peoples and geographically isolated populations.

Learning Objectives:

1. Be able to confidently discuss the types of genomic “liquid biopsy” technologies used in clinical practice and in research

2. Be able to describe factors that impact on clinical usefulness of ctDNA technologies and their potential for addressing health inequity