Services

Gene Expression Analysis in Single Plucked Hairs

Epistem provides a unique plucked hair biomarker platform which offers an attractive surrogate tissue for monitoring drug induced changes in gene expression. The analysis of single plucked hair provides a simple and minimally invasive technique to access epithelial tissue (solid epithelial tumours account for 80% of adult cancers). Epistem's plucked hair biomarker platform can be used to accelerate decision making in drug development programs including:

• Preclinical: analysis of plucked hairs from rodents and whiskers from rats
• Clinical: analysis of single plucked hairs from humans

Using our extensive database containing gene expression profiling information from mouse, rat and human samples we can confirm if genes of interest are expressed in hair.

Epistem has also developed an ex vivo model in which we can incubate hair plucked from Healthy Normal Voluneers (HNVs) in culture. Using this technique, it is possible to establish drug related changes in gene expression which can guide selection of clinical biomarkers.

In our GCLP accredited laboratories, we have conducted a large number of clinical studies for major pharmaceutical customers supporting their drug development programs and confirming that hair is ideal surrogate tissue to monitor drug response and is easy to sample, with good patient compliance and few ethical issues.

Hair expression profiling can assist in the following areas:

• Pharmacodynamic Biomarkers: measuring the biological effect a drug has on a target
• Dose scheduling: by measuring the duration of drug effects over dose range and time
• Mechanism of action: bioinformatic analysis of drug response profiles

In addition to our plucked hair gene expression services, we also offer hair IHC services.

For more information on our hair IHC services, please click here.

Assessments we can conduct

1. Microarray Assessments:

• Custom Arrays containing multiple probe sets for all specified genes or pathways of interest
• Optional inclusion of the entire human, mouse or rat genome

2. qPCR analysis:

• Any specified genes of interest
• Each primer set designed and QC'ed by Epistem

3. Information on pathways and genes expressed within hair from Epistem's PathwayDirect™ database.

To obtain more information on our gene expression services from plucked hair, please click here.

Microarray Analysis

Custom Array Analysis on any specified genes or pathways of interest. Optional inclusion of the entire genome.

qPCR Analysis

Any specified genes or pathways of interest.