Molecular Diagnosis

Based on the rapid development of translational medicine, the Molecular Diagnostics Division of Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center was established to meet the increasing clinical requirement. Located at the Huangpu Campus, the department is equipped with the most advanced technology comprising the Nucleic Acid Amplification Lab, established by the Department of Pathology in 2003, along with its Sequencing Room and FISH Laboratory. Of which, the Nucleic Acid Amplification Lab was awarded the "nucleic acid amplification testing laboratory technical acceptance certificate" from the Ministry of Health in 2006.

The Molecular Diagnostics Division is currently staffed by two doctors, four laboratory technicians for nucleic acid amplification, and two technicians for fluorescence in situ hybridization. Specialist equipment such as the ABI 7500 and ABI 7900HT real-time PCR instrument, ordinary PCR instrument, BECKMAN CEQ8000 sequencing instrument, fluorescence imaging systems, surface plasmon resonance instrument, Sequenom genotyping systems and other advanced equipment.

 

The department has currently carried out 30 test items to comply with our high standards of practice here at SYSUCC. These include pathogen DNA detection, lymphoma gene rearrangement, EGFR, KRAS, BRAF gene mutation quantitative PCR, ERCC1, tublulin, RRM1 gene expression analysis by fluorescence quantitative PCR, EGFR, c-kit, PDGFRA gene sequencing, HPV surface plasmon resonance detection, and FISH gene analysis including EGFR, HER2, etc. 

Test specimens in the department include blood, bone marrow, fresh tissue, paraffin-embedded tissue, pleural effusion, urine, sputum among others. The testing and projects carried out by the department and its personnel are internationally recognized. Thus far, a total of over 50,000 cases have been detected. The testing in our laboratories goes towards our overall arching aim here at SYSUCC and is used to provide a reliable basis for our processes, from screening, diagnoses, risk stratification, to the development of targeted cancer drugs and prognoses, in accordance with the evidence based principle utilized in modern medicine.