What are biomarkers?

Biomarkers are biological indicators detected in the body that help guide diagnosis and treatment decisions.

• Diagnostic – enable early detection
• Prognostic – indicate likely outcomes and treatment needs
• Predictive – guide treatment decisions:
  • Pharmacodynamics – how patients respond to treatment
  • Efficacy – whether treatment is working

How does PCRFTB support biomarker research?

• Access to high-quality samples:
  • Uniformly collected
  • Reliably stored
  • Clinically annotated
• Broad patient consent across multiple clinical settings
• Collaboration between clinicians and researchers

Emerging opportunities in cancer research

• More effective and targeted treatments
• Centralised specialist care and expertise
• Advances in technology:
  • Next generation sequencing
  • Proteomics and metabolomics
  • Cell and molecular biology
  • Targeted therapies
  • Bioinformatics and data science