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What is omics?

The term “omics” encompasses the utilisation of several technologies to characterise biological molecules. An increasing number of healthcare applications now involve analysis of DNA (genomics), RNA (transcriptomics) and proteins (proteomics),(1) but it doesn’t end there. Omics can also involve the study of cellular metabolism (metabolomics), microbial populations living in a patient (microbiomics), or even the study of complex interactions between different organisms and the environment (eg, metagenomics, metatranscriptomics).(2)

The COVID-19 pandemic drove awareness of the power of nucleic acid- and protein-based technology, and accelerated the global development of affordable, portable approaches to molecular testing.(3) As omics technologies continue to evolve, more complex and sensitive analyses are feasible, and researchers are identifying ways in which they can be applied to healthcare. Significant growth in omic applications can be seen in three key areas: drug discovery, patient diagnosis and guiding healthcare decision making.

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Opportunities and challenges

While there are many opportunities for the integration of molecular analyses into healthcare, successful implementation of omic approaches requires investment in state-of-the-art technology, a broad ‘bench to bedside’ foundation of strategic support, and a dynamic team of specialists who can keep pace in this fast-moving environment to address its many challenges.

Integration of omic analyses into healthcare communications benefits from an understanding of the specialist technical language and regulatory processes required to transition a product from laboratory to clinic.

Prime Omics is a specialist consultancy delivering technical and strategic support for the communication of omic-based data analyses. The team can help you to bridge communication gaps between assay developers, biopharma, and a range of audiences from specialist HCPs to patients.

For more information, get in touch with the Prime Omics team via PrimeOmics@primeglobalpeople.com.

References

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3. Oh H, et al. A closer look into FDA-EUA approved diagnostic techniques of COVID-19. ACS Infect Dis. 2021;7(10):2787–2800.
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11. Bohers E, et al. Non-invasive monitoring of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma by cell-free DNA high-throughput targeted sequencing: analysis of a prospective cohort. Blood Cancer J. 2018;8(8):74.
12. AbbVie. Precision Medicine – it’s not just for oncology anymore. https://stories.abbvie.com/stories/precision-medicine-its-not-just-for-oncology-anymore.htm. Accessed 25 May 2022.
13. Bristol Myers Squibb. Destination: The impact of precision medicine in disease management for people with immune-mediated diseases. https://www.bms.com/life-and-science/science/personalized-disease-management.html. Accessed 25 May 2022.
14. Valla V, et al. Companion diagnostics: state of the art and new regulations. Biomark Insights. 2021;16:11772719211047763.
15. Dolgin E. How COVID unlocked the power of RNA vaccines. Nature. 2021;589(7841):189–191.
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18. US Food and Drug Administration. Statement from FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D. and Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research on new policies to advance development of safe and effective cell and gene therapies. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/statement-fda-commissioner-scott-gottlieb-md-and-peter-marks-md-phd-director-center-biologics. Published 15 January, 2019. Accessed 25 May 2022.