PRIMO

Using breast cancer as an example, technologies and workflows will be established that enable the collection of additional molecular patient data beyond existing genomic data. In particular, protein-analytical platforms will be used to analyze therapy-relevant protein signatures in patient tumors. Bioinformatic matching with digital drug databases will identify predictive therapeutic approaches for individual patient tumors. Functional ex vivo cell models will be established from primary tumor tissue of the same patients and used for testing with clinically approved as well as bioinformatically predicted drugs based on the identified protein signatures. Of central importance in the project is the digitization of the data sets obtained and their linkage with existing clinical patient data through integrative data analysis. Taking acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) as an example, the project focuses on monitoring the success of optimal treatment. Patient-specific monitoring of the residual cancer cell burden, known as minimal residual disease (MRD) monitoring, has become established. This involves the quantitative analysis of patient-specific cancer markers over the course of treatment in order to be able to react early and specifically to recurring cancer cells.

PRIMO addresses new approaches to improve the standardization of MRD monitoring: through software-based test design and evaluation of the patient-specific test result as well as microfluidic automation of the analysis, a standardized workflow will be enabled that can be established in appropriate laboratories.