“-Omics” refers to innovative technology platforms such as genetics, genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. These recently developed techniques give us the ability to detect and identify many different molecules, including millions of molecule parts, that are present and expressed in the body. Molecules such as DNA, RNA, proteins, peptides, lipids and metabolites are detected and measured in different biological compartments such as whole blood, plasma and urine.
The PROOF Centre’s ‘-Omics’ approach
PROOF Centre has especially robust expertise in genomics (RNA expression) and proteomics (protein expression), and is focusing on the measurement of RNA, protein and metabolites to identify biomarkers.
Together these “-Omics” technologies can be used to gain a “system-wide” understanding of many important biomedical processes. These technologies offer researchers the capacity to rapidly and inexpensively diagnose disease, monitor the effectiveness of treatment and can identify the recurrence of disease far earlier than was once possible. In addition, these technologies are opening up new approaches to drug development.