GTEx Project Reaches Tenth Year of Genotyping Research

It is the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project’s tenth birthday. This NIH-funded initiative catalogs gene expression and regulation in tissues. This project consists of a huge library with thousands of genetic variations from 838 donors. This library helps to enhance basic and translational research at NIH. Genotyping is used in a wide spectrum of research, resulting in many technologies that are available to license or collaborate on.

One such technology is ‘SLCO1B3 Genotyping to Predict a Survival Prognosis of Prostate Cancer’. This technology identifies two polymorphic genetic markers in the SSLCO1B3 gene that can be measured in genomic DNA obtained from a blood sample to predict patient survival from a prostate cancer diagnosis. This technology has multiple potential commercial applications and competitive advantages that can be read about in the abstract. 

Another technology that utilizes genotyping is ‘Real-time PCR and High Resolution Melt Analysis for Genotyping of Chlamydophila psittaci’. This technology is a nucleic acid assay that ‘employs Light Upon Extension (LUX) chemistry and High Resolution Melt (HRM) analysis to detect and distinguish the different genotypes of Chlamydophila psittaci’. This pathogen can result in severe pneumonia in humans, other mammals, and birds. This technology could be used in epidemiological studies and could provide information for best implementing public health measures in the event of an outbreak. This technology can improve efficiency in time and cost over competitors as it provides rapid and simple diagnostic testing.

A list of available technologies featuring genotyping research can be found here.