EU researchers seek diagnostic markers for personalised medicines
The consortium has focused on hayfever as a model because of its complex interactions involving patients and the environment
A European Union (EU) research project is looking for diagnostic markers that will help earmark medication treating complex diseases for specific groups of patients.
The 'Multi-layer network modules to identify markers for personalised medication in complex diseases' (MULTIMOD) project has worked with translational clinical studies based on high-throughput genomics, advanced computing and systems biology.
Its consortium, which includes Germany’s Cenix BioScience, has focused on hayfever as a model because of its complex interactions involving patients and the environment.
A note from the project explained that researchers were trying to organise disease-associated genes in networks for analysis. First, modules of interacting genes with distinct biological functions were identified. These were then examined further to find gene pathways. Finally upstream genes were identified, with key regulatory functions.
'An important focus of this project is to develop these methods to form multi-layer modules that integrate information about disease-associated changes on the DNA, RNA and protein levels,' said the researchers. This data can be used to 'develop methods to personalise medication,' they said.
The European Commission added: 'Most importantly, these methods are applicable to other complex diseases apart from hayfever…'
The project document explained: 'Ideally, physicians should be able routinely to personalise medication based on a few diagnostic markers.'