464 results for "GitHub+primate+acoustics+baboon+Zenodo+10.5281+Gui*"

in 197.33 milliseconds.

• Genome_wide_association_study_of_vaccine_responses_in_infants_living_in_the_Developing_World__VaccGene___Phase_II_African_Cohorts

  Human genetic heterogeneity accounts for approximately 70% of the observed variability inresponse to common childhood vaccinations. Identifying the elements of this heterogeneitywill enable the development of vaccines which have improved clinical and cost effectivenessthrough rational adjuventation approaches, or by targeting particular at-risk or responsivesubgroups. The studies published to date have been limited in terms of the number of vaccinesubtypes analysed, diversity of the populations included, sample sizes and breadth of otherenvironmental and lifestyle variables which may explain some of the remainder of variation inthe response to each vaccine. Nevertheless, these studies have proposed that the geneswhich harbour the variants associated with vaccine responsiveness reside within regions ofthe genome associated with immune function such as the HLA locus and FOXP1and ITGAL.We are proposing one of the largest genome-wide association studies of vaccine responseever undertaken, which will provide unparalleled power to identify the genetic factorsassociated with the response to all of the most commonly used childhood vaccinesworldwide. For the first phase of the project (Prelim I0308) we genotyped ca. 1,400 childrenfrom the Entebbe Mother and Baby (EMaB) study, an ongoing birth cohort in southernUganda, using the Illumina HumanOmni2.5-8 chip. Analyses for response to vaccinationagainst diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae, measles, hepatitis B and BCGare now underway. Working alongside other ongoing studies, we plan for the second phaseof the project to expand sample sizes to up to 7,000 individuals in total. This large cohort willinclude 1,500 South African infants, 500 Burkina Faso infants, 1,800 children from Ecuadorand up to 1,800 from a variety of countries (MAL-ED Consortium). The principal measuredphenotypes will be the serological responses at 6 or 12 months of age to the vaccinesadministered to all enrolled children as part of expanded programme of immunisation in allcountries. As for the primary Ugandan study the responses will be analysed as quantitativetraits using mixed model (GEMMA) analyses following imputation using a combined 1000Genome and African Genome Variation Project reference panel. The data will be analysed asone large discovery mega-analysis to maximise the power of finding the relevant associatedvariants. Interim GWAS analyses will be performed on each population to test for populationspecific signals. Other phenotypes that will be assessed in the new studies includequantitative response to BCG, rotavirus and pneumococcal vaccines (South Africa, Ecuadorand Uganda), clinical and immunological response to malaria vaccines (Burkina),immunological correlates of atopy (Ecuador and Uganda) and malaria infection (Burkina,Ecuador and Uganda) in addition to non-communicable disease traits such as blood pressurepage 1[A8] If applicable, provide text (abstract) which will accompany data for this study in the ENA/EGA.[A9] Does this project use samples?[A10] Please choose which types of sample you will be using[A12] Please state the anticipated date (month/year) samples will be available in-house (if known). If samples arealready in-house, type 'in-house' here. Please note that for sequencing, genotyping and microarrays this is essentialfor scheduling the work.[A13] Please state the anticipated project start date (month/year).[A14] Please state the project duration (months).[A15] Please read WTSI's Data Sharing Policy and Guidelines, then explain your data sharing plans for the project[A16] Are the data sharing plans of this project compliant with the Institute's Guidelines?[A17] Are there any conflicts of interest related to this proposal?(Uganda).We are requesting funds to genotype on the Illumina HumanOmni2.5-8 platform 2,000 Africaninfants recruited through ongoing maternal and child vaccine clinical trials (againstpneumococcus in Soweto, South Africa, and malaria in Banfora, Burkina Faso). The DNAfrom the Burkina cohort is at the University of Oxford and ready to be shipped, while the DNAfrom the South African cohort will be available by mid-2014. Appropriate consent for geneticanalyses has been acquired for the proposed study cohorts from both local ethics committeesand UK-based Committees.

  Study EGAS00001000918

• Prediction and quantification of splice events from RNA-seq data

  Analysis of splice variants from short read RNA-seq data remains a challenging problem. Here we present a novel method for the genome-guided prediction and quantification of splice events from RNA-seq data, which enables the analysis of unannotated and complex splice events. Splice junctions and exons are predicted from reads mapped to a reference genome and are assembled into a genome-wide splice graph. Splice events are identified recursively from the graph and are quantified locally based on reads extending across the start or end of each splice variant. We assess prediction accuracy based on simulated and real RNA-seq data, and illustrate how different read aligners (GSNAP, HISAT2, STAR, TopHat2) affect prediction results. We validate our approach for quantification based on simulated data, and compare local estimates of relative splice variant usage with those from other methods (MISO, Cufflinks) based on simulated and real RNA-seq data. In a proof-of-concept study of splice variants in 16 normal human tissues (Illumina Body Map 2.0) we identify 249 internal exons that belong to known genes but are not related to annotated exons. Using independent RNA samples from 14 matched normal human tissues, we validate 9/9 of these exons by RT-PCR and 216/249 by paired-end RNA-seq (2 x 250 bp). These results indicate that de novo prediction of splice variants remains beneficial even in well-studied systems. An implementation of our method is freely available as an R/Bioconductor package SGSeq.

  Study EGAS00001001026

• Post_Mortem_Tissue_COVID19_RNA

  Single cell analysis of post mortem tissue samples from SARS-CoV2-infected patients We aim to directly identify the human cell types infected by SARS-CoV-2 and measure the cellular response to COVID19 infection across 20 different tissues from infected patient autopsies. We have examined the expression pattern of viral entry receptors across healthy human tissues to predict several candidate target cell types across the airway and heart. In addition, high prevalence of cardiac failure and abnormal renal function in COVID19 patients implicates heart and kidney involvement, but the pathogenesis of organ specific damage - whether via a direct cytopathic mechanism or an indirect inflammatory response - remains unknown . Currently, we lack confirmation of target cell types and cellular processes in infected tissues as autopsies are discouraged in most countries due to health and safety risks. Our collaborators Drs Michael Osborn and Brian Hanley (Imperial College) have outlined guidelines to perform post-mortem in COVID19 patients (Hanley et al., 2020) and have established a programme of autopsies for research to be performed in a high-risk facility at Westminster Public Mortuary. Here, we propose to identify infected cell types and aberrant molecular pathologies in this precious tissue resource using single cell and spatial genomics. We will prioritise three organ systems: the human airway, heart and the kidney. We will directly examine the cellular identities of SARS-CoV-2 infected cell types and identify the cellular responses to infection across these organs. This fundamental knowledge will help guide future treatment choices for COVID19. This data is part of a pre-publication release. For information on the proper use of pre-publication data shared by the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (including details of any publication moratoria), please see http://www.sanger.ac.uk/datasharing/

  Study EGAS00001004442

• Targeting FGFR1 for treatment of soft-tissue sarcoma (H021)

  Purpose: Altered FGFR1 signaling has emerged as therapeutic target in various epithelial malignancies. In contrast, the role of FGFR1 in soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) has not been established. Prompted by the detection and subsequent therapeutic inhibition of amplified FGFR1 in a patient with metastatic leiomyosarcoma, we investigated the oncogenic properties and potential as drug target of FGFR1 in STS.Experimental Design: The frequency of FGFR1 amplification and overexpression, as assessed by fluorescence in situ hybridization, microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization and mRNA expression profiling, SNP array profiling, and RNA sequencing, was determined in three independent patient cohorts. The sensitivity of STS cell lines with or without FGFR1 alterations to genetic and pharmacologic FGFR1 inhibition and the signaling pathways engaged by FGFR1 were investigated using short-term viability assays, long-term colony formation assays, and biochemical analysis.Results: Increased FGFR1 copy number was detected in 74 of 190 (38.9%; Cohort 1), 13 of 79 (16.5%; Cohort 2), and 80 of 254 (31.5%; Cohort 3) patients. FGFR1 overexpression occurred in 16 of 79 (20.2%, Cohort 2) and 39 of 254 (15.4%; Cohort 3) patients. Targeting of FGFR1 by short hairpin RNA-mediated knockdown and different small-molecule inhibitors (PD173074, AZD4547, BGJ398) revealed that the requirement for FGFR1 signaling in STS cells is primarily dictated by FGFR1 expression levels, and identified the MAPK-ERK1/2 axis as critical FGFR1 effector pathway.Conclusion: These data identify FGFR1 as driver gene in multiple STS subtypes and support FGFR1 inhibition, guided by patient selection according to FGFR1 expression and monitoring of MAPK-ERK1/2 signaling, as therapeutic option in this challenging group of diseases.H021

  Study EGAS00001001844

• Exome_Sequencing_of_Poor_Prognosis_Acute_Myeloid_Leukaemia

  We plan to sequence the exomes of 4 AML cases (tumour and germline) in an effort to discover new mutations in this disease that could improve our understanding of leukaemogenesis and guide the development of new targeted therapies. The Sanger Institute will sequence the exomes of 4 Acute Myeloid Leukaemia cases including tumour and germline DNA so that somatically-acquired, AML-specific mutations can be accurately designated.

  Study EGAS00001000146

• Glioblastoma_CRISPR_Screen

  This is an in vitro genome-wide CRISPR/cas9 screen in human glioblastoma stem cells, screening for genes essential for survival of these cells. These cells express cas9 and have been transfected with a guide RNA library causing gene knockouts. We will analyse the sequencing data for depletion of guide RNAs.

  Study EGAS00001001519

• Papuan_Genotyping

  By array based genotyping of indigenous individuals from different areas of Papua New Guinea, this project aims to provide the most comprehensive overview thus far of population structure and history in this part of the world. Papuans represent a key component in the current understanding of human history outside of Africa. Additionally, PNG harbours enormous cultural and linguistic diversity. Genotyping of diverse individuals, combined with previously generated whole-genome sequencing data, will allow the study of general patterns of population structure, the degree of genetic differentiation between groups, the extent of external gene flow into PNG and the genetic relationships to Australian Aboriginals.This data is part of a pre-publication release. For information on the proper use of pre-publication data shared by the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (including details of any publication moratoria), please see http://www.sanger.ac.uk/datasharing/

  Study EGAS00001001587

• Spatial and Temporal Homogeneity of Driver Mutations in Diffuse Intrinsic Pointine Glioma

  Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Gliomas (DIPG) are deadly pediatric brain tumors where needle biopsies help guide diagnosis and targeted therapies. To address spatial heterogeneity, we analyzed 134 specimens from various neuroanatomical structures of whole autopsy brains from nine DIPG patients. Evolutionary reconstruction indicates histone 3 (H3)K27M – including novel H3.2K27M - mutations potentially arise first and are invariably associated with specific, high-fidelity obligate partners throughout the tumor and its spread, from diagnosis to end-stage disease, suggesting mutual need for tumorigenesis. These H3K27M ubiquitously-associated mutations involve alterations in TP53 cell-cycle (TP53/PPM1D) or specific growth factor pathways (ACVR1/PIK3R1). Later oncogenic alterations arise in sub-clones and often affect the PI3K pathway. Our findings are consistent with early tumor spread outside the brainstem including the cerebrum. The spatial and temporal homogeneity of driver mutations in DIPG implies they will be captured by limited biopsies and emphasizes the need to develop therapies specifically targeting obligate oncohistone partnerships.

  Study EGAS00001001654

• Molecular sub-classification of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer

  Patients with estrogen and/or progesterone receptor-positive breast cancer benefit from hormonal treatment, yet high global death burdens due to high prevalence and long-term recurrence risk call for biomarkers to guide additional treatment approaches. From a prospective, observational study of postmenopausal early breast cancer patients treated with tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors gene expression analyses of 612 tumors was performed using the NanoString® Breast Cancer 360 panel. We identified novel gene expression signatures, i.e. BRCAness and Tumor Inflammation Signature (associated with high tumor lymphocyte infiltration), that may aid to select high-risk patients in order to improve adjuvant treatment by targeting DNA repair deficiency or immune-checkpoints in addition to standard chemo-endocrine treatment. The overall goal is to foster novel concepts for a stratified early breast cancer management.

  Study EGAS00001004594

• Indonesian Genome Diversity Project 2

  High-coverage whole genome sequences were collected to study patterns of genomic variation across the broad geography of Indonesia and New Guinea. This region has experienced an extremely complex demographic history, including repeated bouts of admixture with archaic and modern human groups. This dataset reports whole genome sequences for 82 individuals from different populations from Mentawai, New Guinea, Sumatra and Sumba islands. Particular attention has been paid in the original study to genomic signals that are informative for population history, including admixture with archaic hominins and the role of modern human admixture during the late Pleistocene and Holocene.

  Study EGAS00001003654

• PCa-LINES

  PCa-LINES: Ribo-minus RNA-seq of 4 patient samples and 2 PCa cell lines ---- Detection of fusion transcripts and their genomic breakpoints from RNA sequencing data Youri Hoogstrate, Malgorzata A. Komor, René Böttcher, Job van Riet, Harmen J. G. van de Werken, Stef van Lieshout, Ralf Hoffmann, Evert van den Broek, Anne S. Bolijn, Natasja Dits, Daoud Sie, David van der Meer, Floor Pepers, Chris H. Bangma, Geert J. L. H. van Leenders, Marcel Smid, Pim French, John W.M. Martens, Wilbert van Workum, Peter J. van der Spek, Bart Janssen, Eric Caldenhoven, Christian Rausch, Mark de Jong, Andrew P. Stubbs, Gerrit A. Meijer, Remond J.A. Fijneman, Guido Jenster bioRxiv 2021.05.17.441778; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.05.17.441778 https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.17.441778v1

  Study EGAS00001004613

• Renal_habitat_WXS

  This project aims at correlating genetic diversity (as well as transcriptomic, metabolic and immune diversity) observed in multiple targeted tumour biopsies and circulating tumour DNA with heterogeneity on multiparametric MRI. To this end, 20 patients with RCC (15 patients with localised/locally advanced disease and 5 with mRCC) will undergo multiparametric MRI including metabolic assessment by 13C-MRSI as well as measurements of tumour perfusion, oxygenation and water diffusion. Based on unique combinations of these imaging parameters, tumour habitats will be defined through cluster mapping. Intra-operative biopsy and immediate freezing of tumour cores from different imaging habitats will be performed. Multiregional ex-vivo tumour biopsies will be spatially registered to the MR data by using 3D printed tumour moulds generated from high-resolution volumetric sequences. These moulds allow slicing tumour specimens in identical planes to the MR acquisition and increase the accuracy of tissue sampling. The biopsies will then undergo molecular profiling such as metabolomic and RNA sequencing (including mRNA immune profiling), as well as DNA sequencing to assess driver and clonal mutations in different tumour habitats and guide design of appropriate cfDNA probes. The targeted cfDNA capture panel will be employed to determine the ability of cfDNA to capture the full genetic diversity observed in the primary tumour and to relate cfDNA to various imaging habitats in both renal and pancreatic cancer. Data integration will be undertaken between imaging habitats and molecular profiles for each region.

  Study EGAS00001003703

• Australia_and_New_Guinea_haplotype_phasing_

  Whole-genome sequencing and phasing of admixed Aboriginal Australian genomes and Papua New Guinean genomes using 10x Genomics Chromium technology. This data is part of a pre-publication release. For information on the proper use of pre-publication data shared by the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute please see http://www.sanger.ac.uk/datasharing/

  Study EGAS00001001853

• Identification of rare germline variants in familial multiple myeloma

  The risk of developing multiple myeloma (MM) in first-degree relatives of affected individuals is 2 to 4 fold higher than in the general population, implying the existence of inherited susceptibility. While over 20 common, low-penetrance variants have been associated with MM risk, less is known about rare, high-penetrance germline predisposition. We aimed to identify and characterize high/moderated penetrance germline variants in MM families using whole genome sequencing. For that purpose we identified families with at least two individuals diagnosed with MM or its precursors MGUS and smoldering MM. Also, patients with solitary plasmacytoma and AL amyloidosis were enrolled. We also recruited unaffected family members, and they were screened to exclude undetected MM or its precursor stages. After whole genome sequencing of blood DNA and filtering for rare variants (minor allele frequency <0.1%) and family segregation, variants are prioritized by a range of published in silico tools and literature search. The most promising variants are subjected to experimental validation to evaluate their functional relevance. Our data will provide guidance to worldwide efforts to unravel germline predisposition in MM and validation of the proposed variants and genes.

  Study EGAS00001004734

• Primary prostate Hi-C

  Prostate cancer is a heterogeneous disease whose progression is linked to genome instability. Despite large-scale tumour sequencing efforts, the impact of mutations on the genetic architecture in cancer remains ill-defined due to limited integration of genomics data across dimensions. We addressed this limitation by assessing the impact of structural variants on the chromatin states and the three-dimensional organization across benign and malignant primary prostate genomes. We find high concordance in the three-dimensional genome organization between malignant and benign prostate tissues, arguing for constraints to the three-dimensional genome of prostate tumours. Moreover, we identify structural variants as effectors of changes to focal chromatin interactions, guiding cis-regulatory element hijacking that imposes opposing expression changes on genes found at antipodes of a rearrangement. This leads to the repression of tumour suppressor gene expression and up-regulation of oncogenes, such as at the TMPRSS2-ERG and PMEPA1-ZNF156 loci. Collectively, our results argue that cis-regulatory element hijacking by structural variants overshadows large-scale topological changes to alter gene regulation and promote oncogenesis.

  Study EGAS00001005014

• Comprehensive Genomic and Transcriptomic Analysis of Rare Cancers for Guiding of Therapy (H021)

  Here we analyzed the molecular profiles and clinical outcomes of 1,310 patients (proportion of rare cancers, 75%) enrolled in a prospective observational study by the German Cancer Consortium that applies whole-genome/exome and RNA sequencing to inform the care of adults with incurable cancers. Based on 472 single and six composite biomarkers, a cross-institutional molecular tumor board provided evidence-based management recommendations, including diagnostic reevaluation, genetic counseling, and experimental treatment, in 88% of cases. Recommended therapies were administered in 362 of 1,138 patients (31.8%) and resulted in significantly improved response and disease control rates (23.9% and 55.3%, respectively) compared to previous therapies, translating into a progression-free survival ratio >1.3 in 35.7% of patients.

  Study EGAS00001004813

• Indonesian Genome Diversity Project 2, genotyping data

  This study reports Illumina Omni 2.5M genotyping chip data for 48 individuals from Aru, Mentawai, New Guinea and Sumba islands.

  Study EGAS00001003670

• The BC Cancer Agency's Personalized Onco-Genomics Project

  The BC Cancer Agency's Personalized Onco-Genomics (POG) Project involves molecular and clinical characterization of individual cancer patients to guide their treatment. The project aims to use whole genome and transcriptome data together with patient information to match treatments to cancer driver alterations and support clinical decision-making. Incorporating genomic data into decision-making should enable more rational development of treatment plans, facilitate enrollment into appropriate clinical trials and potentially identify less toxic and more effective therapeutic options.

  Study EGAS00001001159

• The genomic landscape of germinal center derived B-cell lymphomas other than follicular, diffuse-large B-cell and Burkitt lymphom

  As part of the ICGC, the ICGC MMML-Seq project performed whole genome sequencing and RNA sequencing of germinal center derived B-cell lymphoma. Analyses were performed in concordance with the guidelines of the ICGC.

  Study EGAS00001002422

• Single-cell landscapes of primary glioblastomas and matched organoids and cell lines reveal variable retention of inter- and intra-tumor heterogeneity

  Glioblastomas (GBMs) are aggressive primary malignant brain tumors characterized by extensive levels of inter- and intra-tumor genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity. Patient-derived organoids (PDOs) have recently emerged as useful models to study such heterogeneity. Here, we present bulk exome as well as single-cell genome and transcriptome profiles of primary IDH wild type GBMs from ten patients, including two recurrent tumors, as well as PDOs and brain tumor-initiating cell (BTIC) lines derived from these patients. We find that PDOs are genetically similar to and variably retain gene expression characteristics of their parent tumors. At the phenotypic level, PDOs appear to exhibit similar levels of transcriptional heterogeneity as their parent tumors, whereas BTIC lines tend to be enriched for cells in a more uniform transcriptional state. The datasets introduced here will provide a valuable resource to help guide experiments using GBM-derived organoids, especially in the context of studying cellular heterogeneity.

  Study EGAS00001005227

• Single cell RNAseq of PBMC from bladder cancer patients

  Frozen PBMC samples containing at least 1 million cells were thawed for 1 minute at 37C and washed twice with RPMI complete media (10% FBS with glutamate and Pen/Strep). All of the samples had >80% viable cells. Sample processing for single-cell RNA-seq was done using Chromium Single Cell 3’ Library and Gel bead kit v2 (PN-120237) following manufacturer’s user guide (CG00052, 10x Genomics, Pleasanton, CA). The total cell density was used to impute the volume of single cell suspension needed in the reverse transcription (RT) master mix, aiming to achieve ~ 6,000 cells per sample. cDNAs and libraries were prepared following manufacturer’s user guide (10x Genomics). cDNA amplification and indexed libraries were prepared using 12 and 14 cycles of PCR, respectively. Libraries were profiled, quantified, and sequenced as 5’ single-cell gene expression libraries.

  Study EGAS00001004008

• H3Africa - An integrated approach to the identification of genetic determinants of susceptibility to trypanosomiasis

  The objective of the TrypanoGEN project is to discover genetic variants associated with different responses to sleeping sickness infection. The project was designed in two phases:Phase 1) Variant discovery; 222 samples were sequenced to approximately 10X coverage on an Illumina 2500 with 2x150bp reads, at the University of Liverpool Center for Genomic Research. In addition, 77 samples from Cameroon and Zambia were sequenced to approximately 30X Coverage at Baylor College of Medicine. The sequenced reads were mapped onto the 1000 genomes project human_g1k_v37_decoy reference genome using BWA. The SNP calling on all the samples was done using the genome analysis tool kit GATK v3.4. Samples were selected from seven populations where Trypanosomiasis is endemic: Nilo-Saharan speakers from North-West Uganda and Niger-Congo speakers from South-East Uganda, DRC, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Cameroon and Zambia. The samples included 182 controls, 97 cases, 17 latent infections and 3 suspect cases. Phase 2) Variants discovered in Phase 1 will be used in the development of the H3Africa SNP chip. This chip will then be used in a GWAS study to identify variants associated with trypanosomiasis.

  Study EGAS00001002602

• Defective Homologous Recombination DNA Repair as Therapeutic Target in Advanced-Stage Chordoma (HIPO_021)

  HIPO project: HIPO_021 Importance: Chordomas are rare tumors of the axial skeleton and skull base with few therapeutic options and no clinically validated molecular drug targets. The value of comprehensive genomic analyses for guiding medical therapy of patients with advanced-stage chordoma is unknown.Objective: To identify therapeutically tractable genetic lesions in a cohort of chordoma patients within a genomics-guided precision oncology program and to document the outcome of individualized, molecularly targeted chordoma therapy.Design, Setting, and Participants: We performed whole-exome sequencing of tumor and matched germline control samples from seven patients with locally advanced or metastatic chordoma who were enrolled in a cross-institutional molecular stratification registry trial for younger adults with advanced-stage cancer across all histologies and patients with rare tumors. All patients were heavily pretreated and had progressive disease prior to molecular analysis.Interventions: Individualized medical therapy was administered according to the patients’ molecular profiles.Main Outcomes and Measures: Candidate therapeutic targets identified by whole-exome sequencing and response to genotype-directed therapy.Results: All patients harbored alterations of two or more genes known to be involved in DNA repair via homologous recombination (HR), including heterozygous deletions of ERCC6, FANC family members, RAD51L (n = 6), BRCA2 (n = 5), ATR, CHEK2, RAD18, RAD51B, and XRCC3 (n = 4); inactivating PTEN mutations coupled with loss of heterozygosity (n = 2); and pathogenic germline variants in BRCA2 (n = 1), NBN (n = 1), and CHEK2 (n = 1) that were accompanied by somatic deletion of the corresponding wild-type alleles. Consistently, a mutational signature associated with defective HR was enriched in all samples and co-occurred with extensive genomic instability, as evidenced by HR deficiency scores and high numbers of large-scale state transitions. These results prompted off-label treatment with the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor olaparib in a patient whose tumor was refractory to irradiation and systemic treatment with imatinib, which led to a prolonged response and substantial clinical improvement.Conclusions and Relevance: Advanced-stage chordomas are frequently characterized by genomic imprints of defective HR DNA repair. HR deficiency represents a new therapeutic opportunity in this intractable disease through repositioning of PARP inhibitors that warrants further exploration in clinical trials.

  Study EGAS00001002720

• The genomic and radiomic complexity of multifocal prostate cancer

  Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) and molecular prognostic tests are emerging to guide screening and prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis, however their efficacy and cross validation requires further assessment in the context of intraprostatic heterogeneity and patient prognosis. To evaluate the molecular features that make prostate tumors visible to mpMRI, we established an mpMRI-blind multicore collection and performed low pass whole genome, exome, transcriptome and methylation profiling of 14 lesions and 23 representative cores from 6 PCa patients. Our results show that diagnosis based on mpMRI does not capture the genomic complexity of tumors, and reveal that commercial prognostic signature results based on single-biopsy assessments are insufficient to define risk of progression. Altogether, our study supports the use of a multi-biopsy assessment in both mpMRI visible and non-visible areas in order to provide a truly personalised diagnosis

  Study EGAS00001002767

• Whole-Genome Sequencing of Salivary Gland Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma

  Adenoid cystic carcinomas (ACCs) of the salivary glands are challenging to understand, treat, and cure. To better understand the genetic alterations underlying the pathogenesis of these tumors, we performed comprehensive genome analyses of 25 fresh-frozen tumors, including whole genome sequencing, expression and pathway analyses. In addition to the well-described MYB-NFIB fusion which was found in 11 tumors (44%), we observed five different rearrangements involving the NFIB transcription factor gene in seven tumors (28%). Taken together, NFIB translocations occurred in 15 of 25 samples (60%, 95%CI=41–77%). In addition, mRNA expression analysis of 17 tumors revealed overexpression of NFIB in ACC tumors compared with normal tissues (p=0.002). There was no difference in NFIB mRNA expression in tumors with NFIB fusions compared to those without. We also report somatic mutations of genes involved in the axonal guidance and Rho family signaling pathways. Finally, we confirm previously described alterations in genes related to chromatin regulation and Notch signaling. Our findings suggest a separate role for NFIB in ACC oncogenesis and highlight important signaling pathways for future functional characterization and potential therapeutic targeting.

  Study EGAS00001002812

• Integrated clinical, whole genome, and transcriptome analysis of multisampled lethal metastatic prostate cancer

  We report the first combined analysis of whole genome sequence, detailed clinical history, and transcriptome sequence of multiple prostate cancer metastases in a single patient (A21). Whole genome and transcriptome sequence was obtained from 9 anatomically separate metastases, and targeted DNA sequencing was performed in cancerous and noncancerous foci within the primary tumor specimen removed 5 years prior to death. Transcriptome analysis revealed increased expression of AR-regulated genes in liver metastases that harbored an AR p.L702H mutation, suggesting a dominant effect by the mutation despite being present in only 1 of an estimated 16 copies per cell. The metastases harbored several alterations to the PI3K/AKT pathway, including a clonal truncal mutation in PIK3CG and present in all metastatic sites studied. The list of truncal genomic alterations shared by all metastases included homozygous deletion of TP53, hemizygous deletion of RB1 and CHD1, and amplification of FGFR1. If the patient were treated today given this knowledge, use of second-generation androgen-directed therapies, cessation of glucocorticoid administration, and therapeutic inhibition of the PI3K/AKT pathway or FGFR1 receptor could provide personalized benefit. Three previously unreported truncal clonal missense mutations (ABCC4 p.R891L, ALDH9A1 p.W89R, and ASNA1 p.P75R) were expressed at the RNA level and assessed as druggable. The truncal status of mutations is critical for actionability, and can only be determined through analysis of multiple sites of metastasis. Our findings suggest that a large set of deeply analyzed cases could serve as powerful guide to more effective prostate cancer basic science and personalized cancer medicine clinical trials.

  Study EGAS00001001659

• Post_Mortem_Tissue_COVID19_spatial

  Single cell analysis of post mortem tissue samples from SARS-CoV2-infected patients We aim to directly identify the human cell types infected by SARS-CoV-2 and measure the cellular response to COVID19 infection across 20 different tissues from infected patient autopsies. We have examined the expression pattern of viral entry receptors across healthy human tissues to predict several candidate target cell types across the airway and heart. In addition, high prevalence of cardiac failure and abnormal renal function in COVID19 patients implicates heart and kidney involvement, but the pathogenesis of organ specific damage - whether via a direct cytopathic mechanism or an indirect inflammatory response - remains unknown . Currently, we lack confirmation of target cell types and cellular processes in infected tissues as autopsies are discouraged in most countries due to health and safety risks. Our collaborators Drs Michael Osborn and Brian Hanley (Imperial College) have outlined guidelines to perform post-mortem in COVID19 patients (Hanley et al., 2020) and have established a programme of autopsies for research to be performed in a high-risk facility at Westminster Public Mortuary. Here, we propose to identify infected cell types and aberrant molecular pathologies in this precious tissue resource using single cell and spatial genomics. We will prioritise three organ systems: the human airway, heart and the kidney. We will directly examine the cellular identities of SARS-CoV-2 infected cell types and identify the cellular responses to infection across these organs. This fundamental knowledge will help guide future treatment choices for COVID19. This data is part of a pre-publication release. For information on the proper use of pre-publication data shared by the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (including details of any publication moratoria), please see http://www.sanger.ac.uk/datasharing/

  Study EGAS00001004441

• Spatial concordance of DNA methylation classification in diffuse glioma

  Background: Intratumoral heterogeneity is a hallmark of diffuse gliomas. DNA methylation profiling is an emerging approach in the clinical classification of brain tumors. The goal of this study is to investigate the effects of intratumoral heterogeneity on classification confidence. Methods: We used neuronavigation to acquire 133 image-guided and spatially-separated stereotactic biopsy samples from 16 adult patients with a diffuse glioma (7 IDH-wildtype and 2 IDH-mutant glioblastoma, 6 diffuse astrocytoma, IDH-mutant and 1 oligodendroglioma, IDH-mutant and 1p19q codeleted), which we characterized using DNA methylation arrays. Samples were obtained from regions with and without abnormalities on contrast enhanced T1 weighted and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery MRI. Methylation profiles were analyzed to devise a three-dimensional reconstruction of (epi)genetic heterogeneity. Tumor purity was assessed from clonal methylation sites. Results: Molecular aberrations indicated that tumor was found outside imaging abnormalities, underlining the infiltrative nature of this tumor and the limitations of current routine imaging modalities. We demonstrate that tumor purity is highly variable between samples and explains a substantial part of apparent epigenetic spatial heterogeneity. We observed that DNA methylation subtypes are often, but not always, conserved in space taking tumor purity and prediction accuracy into account. Conclusion: Our results underscore the infiltrative nature of diffuse gliomas and suggest that DNA methylation subtypes are relatively concordant in this tumor type, although some heterogeneity exists.

  Study EGAS00001005434

• Single cell RNAseq of PBMC from RCC patients

  Frozen PBMC samples containing at least 1 million cells were thawed for 1 minute at 37C and washed twice with RPMI complete media (10% FBS with glutamate and Pen/Strep). All of the samples had >80% viable cells. Sample processing for single-cell RNA-seq was done using Chromium Single Cell 3’ Library and Gel bead kit v2 (PN-120237) following manufacturer’s user guide (CG00052, 10x Genomics, Pleasanton, CA). The total cell density was used to impute the volume of single cell suspension needed in the reverse transcription (RT) master mix, aiming to achieve ~ 6,000 cells per sample. cDNAs and libraries were prepared following manufacturer’s user guide (10x Genomics). cDNA amplification and indexed libraries were prepared using 12 and 14 cycles of PCR, respectively. Libraries were profiled, quantified, and sequenced as 5’ single-cell gene expression libraries.

  Study EGAS00001004451

• The Molecular Landscape of Asian Breast Cancers Reveals Clinically Relevant Population-Specific Differences

  Molecular profiles of breast cancer have contributed to an improved understanding of the disease, enabled development of molecular prognostic signatures to guide treatment decisions and unveiled new or more accurate therapeutic options for breast cancer patients. However, the extent to which differences in genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors influence molecular profiles in different populations remains poorly characterised, as relatively few large-scale molecular studies of breast tumours in non-Caucasian populations have hitherto been reported. Here, we present the molecular profiles of 560 Asian breast tumours and a comparative analysis of breast cancers arising in Asian and Caucasian women. Compared to the breast tumours in predominantly Caucasian women reported in TCGA and METABRIC, we show an increased prevalence of Her2-enriched molecular subtypes and higher prevalence of TP53 somatic mutations in ER+ Asian breast tumours. Using gene expression and immunohistochemistry, we observed elevated immune scores in Asian breast tumours, suggesting potential clinical response to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Whilst Her2-subtype and enriched immune score are associated with improved survival, presence of TP53 somatic mutations is associated with poorer survival in ER+ tumours. Taken together, these population differences unveil new opportunities to improve the understanding of this disease and lay the foundation for precision medicine in different populations.

  Study EGAS00001004518

• Whole genome, exome and transcriptome analysis to guide individualized cancer interpretation

  Study Design: The Cancer Alliance study was a collaboration of nine academic medical institutions in the New York city area and led by the New York Genome Center. Tumor-normal paired samples were submitted by the institutions for whole genome, whole exome and transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis at New York Genome Center. Relevant clinical histories were also collected. Raw sequence files were available to all collaborators. Variant call files were analyzed both manually by interpreters at NYGC and by IBM Watson Genome Analytics. This study was approved by a central institutional review board (IRB), Biomedical Research Alliance of New York, and by local IRBs, including Stony Brook University and Northwell Health. The study was supported in part by a grant from the IBM corporation (IBM Watson Health) to the New York Genome Center, New York Genome Center philanthropic funds and Rockefeller University grant # UL1TR000043 from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) program. The principal investigator Robert B. Darnell MD, PhD., is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. Results: Pending Publication of Analysis of Study Conclusions: Pending Publication of Analysis of Study

  Study EGAS00001004013

• Mapping the breast cancer metastatic cascade onto circulating tumour DNA using genetic and epigenetic clonal tracking

  Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) allows tracking the evolution of human cancers at high resolution, overcoming many limitations of tissue biopsies. However, exploiting ctDNA to determine how a patient’s cancer is evolving in order to aid clinical decisions remains difficult. This is because ctDNA is a mix of fragmented alleles, and the contribution of different cancer cell subpopulations from distinct lesions to ctDNA remains largely unknown. Profiling of ctDNA almost invariably requires prior knowledge of what genomic alterations to track. Here we leverage on a rapid autopsy programme to demonstrate that unbiased genomic characterisation of several metastatic sites and concomitant ctDNA profiling at whole-genome resolution reveals the extent to which ctDNA is representative of widespread disease. We also present a ctDNA methylation profiling method that allows tracking evolutionary changes in the cancer cell population at single-molecule resolution without prior knowledge. These results have critical implications for the use of liquid biopsies to monitor cancer evolution in humans and potentially guide treatment.

  Study EGAS00001004014

• Tumor HTG EdgeSeq from metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer

  This dataset contains tumor bulk HTG EdgeSeq from patients with metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer. RNA libraries were prepared following manufacturer's user guide (HTG Molecular Diagnostics). Each library was sequenced in HTG EdgeSeq system.

  Study EGAS00001004852

• Small variants in mtDNA Canary Islands - WES Illumina (ITER)

  The mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) is of interest for a range of fields including evolutionary, forensic, and medical genetics. Human mitogenomes can be classified into evolutionary related haplogroups that provide ancestral information and pedigree relationships. Because of this and the advent of high-throughput sequencing (HTS) technology, there is a diversity of bioinformatic tools for haplogroup classification. We present a benchmarking of the 11 most salient tools for human mtDNA classification using empirical whole-genome (WGS) and whole-exome (WES) short-read sequencing data from 36 unrelated donors. Besides, because of its relevance, we also assess the best performing tool in third-generation long noisy read WGS data obtained with nanopore technology for a subset of the donors. We found that, for short-read WGS, most of the tools exhibit high accuracy for haplogroup classification irrespective of the input file used for the analysis. However, for short- read WES, Haplocheck and MixEmt were the most accurate tools. Based on the performance shown for WGS and WES, and the accompanying qualitative assessment, Haplocheck stands out as the most complete tool. For third-generation HTS data, we also showed that Haplocheck was able to accurately retrieve mtDNA haplogroups for all samples assessed, although only after following assembly-based approaches (either based on a referenced-based assembly or a hybrid de novo assembly). Taken together, our results provide guidance for researchers to select the most suitable tool to conduct the mtDNA analyses from HTS data.

  Study EGAS00001005678

• Comprehensive pharmacogenomic characterization of gastric cancer

  Gastric cancer is among the most lethal human malignancies. Previous studies have identified molecular aberrations that constitute dynamic biological networks and genomic complexities of gastric tumors. However, the clinical translation of molecular-guided targeted therapy is hampered by challenges. Notably, solid tumors often harbor multiple genetic alterations, complicating the development of effective treatments. To address such challenges, we established a comprehensive dataset of molecularly annotated patient derivatives coupled with pharmacological profiles for 60 targeted agents to explore dynamic pharmacogenomic interactions in gastric cancers. We identified lineage-specific drug sensitivities based on histopathological and molecular subclassification, including substantial sensitivities toward VEGFR and EGFR inhibition therapies in diffuse- and signet ring-type gastric tumors, respectively. We identified potential therapeutic opportunities for WNT pathway inhibitors in ALK-mutant tumors, a significant association between PIK3CA-E542K mutation and AZD5363 response, and transcriptome expression of RNF11 as a potential predictor of response to gefitinib. Collectively, our results demonstrate the feasibility of drug screening combined with tumor molecular characterization to facilitate personalized therapeutic regimens for gastric tumors.

  Study EGAS00001004106

• Small variants in mtDNA Canary Islands - WGS Illumina (ITER)

  The mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) is of interest for a range of fields including evolutionary, forensic, and medical genetics. Human mitogenomes can be classified into evolutionary related haplogroups that provide ancestral information and pedigree relationships. Because of this and the advent of high-throughput sequencing (HTS) technology, there is a diversity of bioinformatic tools for haplogroup classification. We present a benchmarking of the 11 most salient tools for human mtDNA classification using empirical whole-genome (WGS) and whole-exome (WES) short-read sequencing data from 36 unrelated donors. Besides, because of its relevance, we also assess the best performing tool in third-generation long noisy read WGS data obtained with nanopore technology for a subset of the donors. We found that, for short-read WGS, most of the tools exhibit high accuracy for haplogroup classification irrespective of the input file used for the analysis. However, for short- read WES, Haplocheck and MixEmt were the most accurate tools. Based on the performance shown for WGS and WES, and the accompanying qualitative assessment, Haplocheck stands out as the most complete tool. For third-generation HTS data, we also showed that Haplocheck was able to accurately retrieve mtDNA haplogroups for all samples assessed, although only after following assembly-based approaches (either based on a referenced-based assembly or a hybrid de novo assembly). Taken together, our results provide guidance for researchers to select the most suitable tool to conduct the mtDNA analyses from HTS data.

  Study EGAS00001005679

• Persistence of circulating tumor DNA in breast cancer patients during neoadjuvant treatment is a significant predictor of poor tumor response

  Purpose:Accurate assessment of response during neoadjuvant systemic treatment (NST) poses a major clinical challenge. Therefore, a minimally-invasive assessment of tumor response based on cell-free circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) may be beneficial to guide treatment decisions.Experimental Design: We profiled 93 genes in tissue from 193 early breast cancer patients. Patient-specific assays were designed to track ctDNA during NST from 145 patients with available plasma. ctDNA presence and levels were correlated with complete pathological response (pCR) and residual cancer burden (RCB) as well as with clinicopathologic characteristics of the tumor to identify potential proxies for ctDNA release. Moreover, we tested the predictive value of driver events identified in the tumor.Results:At baseline, ctDNA could be detected in 63/145 (43.4%) patients and persisted in 25/63 (39.7%) patients at mid-therapy (MT) and 15/63 (23.8%) patients at the end of treatment. ctDNA detection at MT was significantly associated with higher RCB (OR 0.062, 95% CI 0.01-0.48, P=0.0077). Out of 31 patients with detectable ctDNA at MT, 30 patients (96.8%) were non-responders (RCB II, n=8; RCB III, n=22) and only one patient responded to the treatment (RCB I). Considering all 145 patients with baseline (BL) plasma, none of the patients with RCB 0 and only 6.7% of patients with RCB I had ctDNA detectable at MT, while 30.6% and 29.6% of patients with RCB II/III, respectively, had a positive ctDNA result. Conclusion:Overall, our results demonstrate that the detection and persistence of ctDNA at mid-therapy may have the potential to negatively predict response to neoadjuvant treatment and identify patients who will not achieve pCR or be classified with RCB II/III.

  Study EGAS00001005798

• Application of Hi-C sequencing to detect structural variants in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

  Large structural variants are easily detected by Hi-C sequencing as strong, distant signals on a Hi-C contact map. Translocations are frequently evident in B-ALL and accurate identification of these translocations can guide clinical treatment options. Here were apply shallow Hi-C sequencing as an unbiased, cost-effective approach to identify translocations among B-ALL patients.

  Study EGAS00001005605

• Genome-wide Ancestry and Demographic History of African-Descendant Maroon Communities from French Guiana and Surname.

  The transatlantic slave trade (TAST) was the largest forced migration in world history. However, the origins of the enslaved Africans and their admixture dynamics remain unclear. To investigate the demographic history of African-descendant Marron populations, we generated genome-wide SNP data (4.3 million markers) from 107 individuals from three African-descendant populations in South America, as well as 124 individuals from six west African populations to complement underrepresented African data sets. Our study sheds additional light on the demographic consequences of the TAST and illustrates how genetic data can complement historical sources.

  Study EGAS00001002535

• An exome sequencing approach to defining the genetic risk factors for Achilles tendinopathy

  Musculoskeletal soft tissue injuries are complex phenotypes. Case control association studies using the candidate gene approach have predominantly been used to identify risk loci for these injuries. However, the ability to identify all risk conferring variants using this approach alone is unlikely. Therefore, this study aimed to define the genetic profile of these injuries using whole exome sequencing and a customized analysis pipeline. The exomes of ten exemplar asymptomatic controls and ten exemplar cases with Achilles tendinopathy were individually sequenced using a platform that included the coverage of the untranslated regions and miRBase miRNA genes. These results provide a proof of concept for the use of a customized pipeline for the exploration of a larger genomic dataset. This approach, using previous research to guide a targeted analysis of the data has generated new genetic signatures in the biology of musculoskeletal soft tissue injuries.

  Study EGAS00001003234

• Papua New Guinean Genome Diversity Project

  Papua New Guinean populations have one of the highest genetic diversity of the world. Our dataset provides genomic data covering most of the Papua New Guinean territory (n=58).

  Study EGAS00001005393

• CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing of Schistosoma mansoni acetylcholinesterase

  Here we report successful gene knock-in (KI) in the eggs of Schistosoma mansoni by combining CRISPR/Cas9 with single-stranded oligodeoxynucleotides (ssODNs). We targeted the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) gene of S. mansoni using two synthetic guide RNAs (gRNAs), X5 and X7, respectively. Liver eggs of S. mansoni were exposed to CRISPR-vector containing X5 or X7 by electroporation. Simultaneously, eggs were transfected with a ssODN donor encoding a stop codon in all six frames. Next generation sequencing analysis revealed that CRISPR/Cas9-mediated editing in S. mansoni eggs resulted in Homology-Directed Repair (HDR) when template DNA ssODN provided. Furthermore, soluble egg antigen (SEA) from AChE-modified eggs exhibited markedly reduced AChE activity compared with controls, indicative that programmed Cas9 cleavage mutated the AChE gene. Following injection of modified schistosome eggs into the tail veins of mice, a significant decrease in granuloma size in the lungs of these animals. Notably, an enhanced Th2 response induced by eggs in lung, and splenocytes small intestine-draining mesenteric lymph node cells was also generated in mice injected with X5-KI eggs in different methods. These findings further demonstrate the power and utility of CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing for undertaking functional genomics studies in schistosomes.

  Study EGAS00001004455

• Multimodal immunogenomic biomarker analysis of tumors from pediatric patients enrolled to a phase 1-2 study of single-agent atezolizumab

  We report herein an extensive exploratory biomarker analysis of refractory tumors taken from pediatric patients prior to receiving atezolizumab monotherapy in the phase 1-2 iMATRIX-atezolizumab trial (NCT02541604). A high percentage of CD8+ T cells and elevated protein levels of programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) were associated with progression-free survival (PFS). T-cell receptor (TCR) sequencing revealed that diverse infiltrating TCR repertoire at baseline was prognostic. We found no associations between panel-based tumor mutation burden (TMB) or specific genetic aberrations with PFS in this study. Through a pan-cancer gene co-expression network analysis, we developed a novel tumor-agnostic Pediatric Cytotoxicity and Antigen Presentation (PedCAP) signature that was associated with improved PFS in the iMATRIX-atezo study. Our study highlights features of immune response in pediatric cancers when treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors and provides a multi-biomarker pediatric immunogram framework to guide prospective clinical trials in pediatric cancers.

  Study EGAS00001006004

• Germline variants in patients with rare cancers and their implications for precision cancer medicine: experiences from the Multicenter MASTER Trial by the German Cancer Consortium (HIPO_021)

  The era of precision oncology entails an increasing amount of molecular data from tumor sequencing in research and diagnostics. In this setting, germline variant analysis may add clinical benefits for patients and family members. In this study, we evaluated germline variants from genome/exome matched tumor-blood sequencing in 1.485 advanced cancer patients within a prospective observational study carried out by the German Cancer Consortium. Included patients had cancers of rare entities (79.2%) or were under the age of 51 at first diagnosis (76.6%). Ten percent of the patients harbored pathogenic germline variants in 35 tumor predisposition genes with autosomal-dominant inheritance such as BRCA1, BRCA2, TP53, RB1, CHEK2, ATM, PALB2, SDHB etc., while 4.6% of the patients were carriers of pathogenic germline variants in 18 genes with autosomal-recessive inheritance of tumor predisposition. Based on pathogenic germline variants, 14% of the patients received genetic counselling recommendations in the molecular tumor board report. Forty five percent of pathogenic germline variants supported a molecular treatment recommendation, which was implemented for 28 patients. Furthermore, we compared our approach and results to previous studies, broadening the insight into pan cancer germline findings but also revealing differences between studies on various levels, such as cohort demographics, tumor entities, gene nominations, variant detection and variant interpretation. Our data support the importance of germline variant interpretation in precision oncology studies for patients and their families, if applicable. However, guidelines for evaluation and reporting of germline variants in the context of genetic tumor profiling need to be established and further research on the relevance of germline mutations as biomarkers for treatment recommendations is needed.

  Study EGAS00001005537

• Small variants in mtDNA Canary Islands - WGS Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ITER)

  The mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) is of interest for a range of fields including evolutionary, forensic, and medical genetics. Human mitogenomes can be classified into evolutionary related haplogroups that provide ancestral information and pedigree relationships. Because of this and the advent of high-throughput sequencing (HTS) technology, there is a diversity of bioinformatic tools for haplogroup classification. We present a benchmarking of the 11 most salient tools for human mtDNA classification using empirical whole-genome (WGS) and whole-exome (WES) short-read sequencing data from 36 unrelated donors. Besides, because of its relevance, we also assess the best performing tool in third-generation long noisy read WGS data obtained with nanopore technology for a subset of the donors. We found that, for short-read WGS, most of the tools exhibit high accuracy for haplogroup classification irrespective of the input file used for the analysis. However, for short- read WES, Haplocheck and MixEmt were the most accurate tools. Based on the performance shown for WGS and WES, and the accompanying qualitative assessment, Haplocheck stands out as the most complete tool. For third-generation HTS data, we also showed that Haplocheck was able to accurately retrieve mtDNA haplogroups for all samples assessed, although only after following assembly-based approaches (either based on a referenced-based assembly or a hybrid de novo assembly). Taken together, our results provide guidance for researchers to select the most suitable tool to conduct the mtDNA analyses from HTS data.

  Study EGAS00001005677

• Characterization of Cell Free Plasma Methyl-DNA From Xenografted Tumors to Guide the Selection of Diagnostic Markers for Early-Stage Cancers

  Circulating cell-free methyl-DNA (mcfDNA) contains promising cancer markers but its low abundance and possibly diverse origin pose challenges toward the accurate diagnosis of early stage cancers. By whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from about 0.5 mL plasma of mice xenografted with human tumors, we obtained and aligned the reads to the human genome, filtered out the mouse and carrier bacterial sequences, and confirmed the tumor origin of methyl-cfDNA (mctDNA) by methylation-sensitive restriction enzyme digestion prior to species-specific PCR. We estimated that human tumor-specific reads (ctDNA) or mctDNA comprised about 0.29 or 0.01%, respectively of the xenograft mouse cfDNA, and about 0.029 or 0.001% of the cfDNA of human early stage cancer patients. Similar WGBS of early stage (0-II, node- and metastasis-free) breast, lung or colorectal cancer samples identified hundreds of specific DMRs (differentially methylated regions) compared to healthy controls. Their association with tumourigenesis was supported by stage-dependent methylation, tumor suppressor or oncogene clusters, and genes also identified in the xenograft samples. Using 20 three-cancer-common and 17 colorectal cancer-specific DMRs in combination (top 0.0018% of the WGBS methylation clusters) was sufficient to distinguish the stage I colorectal cancers from breast and lung cancers and healthy controls. Our data thus confirmed the tumor origin of mctDNA by sequence specificity, and provide a selection threshold for authentic tumor mctDNA markers toward precise diagnosis of early stage cancers solely by top DMRs in combination. Biological Materials were provided by the Ontario Tumour Bank, which is funded by the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research Reference for citation: Ling Liu, Jinghua Feng, Julian Polimeni, Manli Zhang, Hai Nguyen, Urmi Das, Xu Zhang, Harminder Singh, Xiao-Jian Yao, Etienne Leygue, Sam K.P. Kung, and Xie J. Characterization of cell free plasma methyl-DNA from xenografted tumours to guide the selection of diagnostic markers for early-stage cancers. Frontiers in Oncology, 2021 Feb. 5. DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.615821.

  Study EGAS00001006175

• Single_cell_characterization_of_T_cell_lymphoma_

  Lymphomas are types of blood cancer derived from lymphocytes, and can be classified into two main categories, Hodgkin's lymphomas (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL). T-cell lymphoma is a type of NHL that develops from T lymphocytes and accounts for 10-15% of total NHL cases. As a rare disease, T-cell lymphoma is functionally, pathologically, and clinically complex and heterogeneous. The 2016 revision of the WHO classification has listed 29 subtypes of mature T/NK-cell neoplasms, among which over 25 are T lymphocyte in origin. These subtypes of T-cell lymphomas have different biological behaviours and clinical prognosis. Clinically, T-cell lymphoma ranges from indolent (slow-growing) to aggressive (fast-growing and spreading) disease. According to the guideline booklet provided by the Lymphoma Research Foundation (https://lymphoma.org/aboutlymphoma/nhl/), indolent T-cell lymphoma subtypes include adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma (ATLL), cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), and mycosis fungoides (MF), while the aggressive subtypes include anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL), peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL), and T lymphoblastic lymphoma (TLBL). PTCL and ALCL represent the most common subtypes of aggressive T-cell lymphoma whereas TLBL is a rare and aggressive subtype mostly diagnosed in children. In this study, we will use single cell RNA sequencing and single cell multiomic methods three aggressive T-cell lymphoma subtypes (ALCL, PTCL and TLBL) and try to gain a deeper insight into the genotypic and phenotypic features of these T-cell lymphomas.

  Study EGAS00001005750

• Personalised therapy with MEK inhibition leads to a sustained complete response in an adolescent patient with a recurrent malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor

  The prognosis of recurrent malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST) is dismal, with surgical resection being the only definitive salvage therapy. Treatment with chemo-radiation approaches has not significantly improved patient outcomes. Similarly, trials of therapies targeting MPNST genomic drivers have thus far been unsuccessful. Improved understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of MPNST indicates frequent activation of the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) cell signaling pathway. MEK inhibitors have shown activity in preclinical studies; however, their clinical efficacy has not been reported to date. We describe here a case of sustained complete response to MEK inhibition in an adolescent patient with a recurrent metastatic MPNST with multiple alterations in the MAPK pathway, guided by a precision oncology approach.

  Study EGAS00001004899

• Human genome-wide variations in the Massim region

  The Massim, a cultural region encompassing the southeastern tip of mainland Papua New Guinea (PNG) and nearby islands, is famous for the Kula trading network, in which different valuables circulate in different directions among the islands. To explore Massim genetic history, we generated genome-wide data from across the region and found variable levels of Papuan-related (indigenous) ancestry, including a novel ancestry associated with Rossel Island, and Austronesian-related ancestry that arrived later. We find genetic evidence for different patterns of contact across PNG, the Massim, and the Bismarck and Solomon Archipelagoes for Austronesian-related vs. Papuan-related ancestry, with more geographic restriction for the latter. Moreover, Kula-practicing groups share more genetic similarity than do other groups, and this likely predates the origin of Kula, suggesting that high between-group contact facilitated the formation of Kula. Our study provides the first comprehensive genome-wide assessment of Massim inhabitants and new insights into the fascinating Kula system.

  Study EGAS00001006010

• Induced pluripotent stem cell lines (iPSC lines) produced from skin and blood cells.

  The IMBA stem cell bank, iPSC Biobank, is a collection of induced pluripotent stem cell lines (iPSC lines) produced from skin and blood cells. The iPSC Biobank is integrated into the IMBA Stem Cell Core Facility. It stores and provides high-quality reference control panels of iPSC clones as a tool to the research community. The resource is available to all scientists and commercial institutions. The ethical guidelines of the iPSC Biobank are always based on prevailing laws and internal regulations.

  Study EGAS00001006262

• MGP Panel: a comprehensive targeted genomics panel for molecular profiling of multiple myeloma patients

  We designed a comprehensive multiple myeloma (MM) targeted sequencing panel to identify common genomic abnormalities in a single assay and validated it against known standards. The panel comprised 228 genes/exons for mutations, 6 regions for translocations, and 56 regions for copy number abnormalities (CNAs). Toward panel validation, targeted sequencing was conducted on 233 patient samples and further validated using clinical fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) (translocations), multiplex ligation probe analysis (MLPA) (CNAs), whole genome sequencing (WGS) (CNAs, mutations, translocations) or droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) of known standards (mutations). Canonical IgH translocations were detected in 43.2% of patients by sequencing, and aligned with FISH except for one patient. CNAs determined by sequencing and MLPA for 22 regions were comparable in 103 samples and concordance between platforms was R2=0.969. VAFs for 74 mutations were compared between sequencing and ddPCR with concordance of R2=0.9849. In summary, we have developed a targeted sequencing panel that is as robust or superior to FISH and WGS. This molecular panel is cost effective, comprehensive, clinically actionable and can be routinely deployed to assist risk stratification at diagnosis or post-treatment to guide sequencing of therapies.

  Study EGAS00001006222

• RaScALL: Rapid screening of RNA-seq in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

  RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) efforts in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) have identified numerous prognostically significant genomic alterations which can guide diagnostic risk stratification and treatment choices when detected early. However, a full RNA-seq Bioinformatics workflow is time-consuming and costly in a clinical setting where rapid detection and accurate reporting of clinically relevant alterations are essential. To accelerate the identification of ALL-specific alterations (including gene fusions, single nucleotide variants and focal gene deletions), we developed the rapid screening tool RaScALL, capable of identifying more than 100 prognostically significant lesions directly from raw sequencing reads. RaScALL uses the k-mer based targeted detection tool km and known ALL variant information to achieve a high degree of accuracy for reporting subtype defining genomic alterations compared to standard alignment-based pipelines. Gene fusions, including difficult to detect fusions involving EPOR and DUX4, were accurately identified in 98% (164 samples) of reported cases in a 180-patient Australian study cohort and 95% (n=63) of samples in a North American validation cohort. Pathogenic sequence variants were correctly identified in 75% of tested samples, including all cases involving subtype defining variants PAX5 p.P80R (n=12) and IKZF1 p.N159Y (n=4). Accurate detection of intragenic IKZF1 deletions resulting in aberrant transcript isoforms was also detectable with 98% accuracy. Importantly, the median analysis time for detection of all targeted alterations averaged 22 minutes per sample, significantly shorter than standard alignment-based approaches, ensuring accerelated risk-stratification and therapeutic triage.

  Study EGAS00001006460

• Multi-focal genomic dissection of synchronous primary and metastatic tissue from de novo metastatic prostate cancer

  De novo metastatic prostate cancer is highly aggressive, but the paucity of routinely-collected tissue in this setting has hindered genomic stratification and jeopardizes precision oncology efforts. Here, we leveraged a rare study of surgical intervention in 43 de novo metastatic prostate cancers to assess somatic genotype across 607 synchronous primary and metastatic tissue foci plus circulating tumor DNA. Intra-prostate heterogeneity was pervasive and impacted clinically-relevant genes, resulting in frequent discordance between select primary-restricted foci and synchronous metastases. Additional complexity was driven in several instances by polyclonal metastatic seeding from the reservoir of phylogenetically-related primary populations. When simulating standard clinical practice relying on a single tissue focus, genomic heterogeneity plus highly variable per-sample tumor fraction caused false genotyping of dominant disease. However, in silico modeling demonstrated that analysis of multiple biopsy cores can rescue misassigned somatic genotypes. Our results define the relationship between synchronous treatment-naive primary and metastatic lesions in de novo metastatic prostate cancer and provide a framework for implementing genomics-guided patient management.

  Study EGAS00001006466

• Genomic insights into the pathogenesis of Epstein-Barr virus-associated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma by whole-genome and targeted amplicon-based sequencing

  Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)-associated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma not otherwise specified (DLBCL NOS) constitutes a distinct clinicopathological entity in the current World Health Organization (WHO) classification, yet its genomic features remain sparsely characterized. Combining whole-genome sequencing (WGS), targeted amplicon sequencing (tNGS) and fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) of tumours from 47 cases of EBV+ DLBCL we delineate the genomic landscape of this rare disease. Interrogating WGS data by sequential gene-set enrichment and network-diffusion we describe an accumulation of mutations affecting the nuclear factor κB (NFκB) pathway (CSNK2A2, CARD10), IL-6/JAK/STAT (SOCS1/3, STAT3) and WNT signalling (FRAT1, SFRP5) alongside aberrations in immunological processes like interferon-response. Further, WGS uncovered structural aberrations including 6q deletions (5/8 patients), which were subsequently validated by FISH (14/32 cases). Integrated WGS and tNGS analysis emphasized a profile distinct from EBV-negative DLBCL enriched for mutations in ARID1A (45%), KMT2A/D (32/30%), ANKRD11 (32%), NOTCH2 (32%). Expanding on previous reports, we identified recurrent alterations in CCR6 (15%), DAPK1 (15%), TNFRSF21 (13%), CCR7 (11%) and YY1 (6%). Our comprehensive description of the mutational landscape in EBV+ DLBCL substantiates the evidence of its pathobiological independence. Further, these observations aid in the refinement of the molecular taxonomy for aggressive lymphomas and guides future therapeutic strategies.

  Study EGAS00001004941

• Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals the mesangial identity and species diversity of glomerular cell transcriptomes

  Molecular characterization of the individual cell types in human kidney as well as model organisms are critical in defining organ function and understanding translational aspects of biomedical research. Previous studies have uncovered gene expression profiles of several kidney glomerular cell types, however, important cells, including mesangial (MCs) and glomerular parietal epithelial cells (PECs), were missing or incompletely described, and a systematic comparison between mouse and human kidney is lacking. To this end, we used Smart-seq2 to profile 4332 individual glomerulus-associated cells isolated from human living donor renal biopsies and mouse kidney. The analysis revealed genetic programs for all four glomerular cell types (podocytes, glomerular endothelial cells, MCs and PECs) as well as rare glomerulus-associated macula densa cells (MDCs). Importantly, we detected heterogeneity in glomerulus-associated Pdgfrb-expressing cells, including bona fide intraglomerular MCs with the functionally active phagocytic molecular machinery, as well as a unique mural cell type located in the central stalk region of the glomerulus tuft. Furthermore, we observed remarkable species differences in the individual gene expression profiles of defined glomerular cell types that highlight translational challenges in the field and provide a guide to design translational studies.

  Study EGAS00001004943

• Tocilizumab treatment leads to early resolution of myeloid dysfunction and lymphopenia in patients hospitalized with COVID-19

  Tocilizumab, an anti-interleukin-6 receptor inhibitor, is recommended in global treatment guidelines for patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19. Using proteomic and transcriptomic analysis, we characterized the immune profile and identified cellular and molecular pathways directly modified by tocilizumab in peripheral blood samples collected from patients enrolled in the COVACTA study, a phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, to assess the efficacy and safety of tocilizumab in hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia. We identified factors predicting disease severity and clinical outcomes, including markers of inflammation, lymphopenia, myeloid dysfunction, and organ injury. Proteomic analysis confirmed a pharmacodynamic effect for tocilizumab. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that tocilizumab treatment leads to faster resolution of lymphopenia and myeloid dysfunction associated with severe COVID-19 thus supporting an underlying anti-inflammatory mechanism of action for the beneficial effects of tocilizumab in patients hospitalized with COVID-19.

  Study EGAS00001006688

• Targeted therapy of advanced parathyroid carcinoma guided by genomic and transcriptomic profiling (hipo_021)

  Parathyroid carcinoma (PC) is an orphan malignancy with a high risk of recurrence after surgery. Tumor-directed systemic treatments for PC are not established. We used whole-genome and RNA sequencing in four patients with advanced PC to identify molecular alterations that could guide clinical management. In two cases, the genomic and transcriptomic profiles provided targets for experimental therapies that resulted in biochemical response and prolonged disease stabilization: (i) immune checkpoint inhibition with pembrolizumab based on high tumor mutational burden and a single-base substitution signature associated with APOBEC (apolipoprotein B mRNA editing enzyme, catalytic polypeptide-like) overactivation; (ii) multi-receptor tyrosine kinase inhibition with lenvatinib due to overexpression of FGFR1 and RET and, later in the course of disease, PARP inhibition with olaparib prompted by signs of defective homologous recombination DNA repair. In addition, our data provided new insights into the molecular landscape of PC with respect to the genome-wide footprints of specific mutational processes and pathogenic germline alterations. These data underscore the potential of comprehensive molecular analyses to improve care for patients with ultra-rare cancers based on insight into disease biology.

  Study EGAS00001006747

• Early on-treatment changes in circulating tumor DNA fraction and response to enzalutamide or abiraterone in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer

  On-treatment circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) quantification is touted as a surrogate biomarker for understanding metastatic cancer response to systemic therapy, but there is relatively little supporting data from standardized patient cohorts. Here, in a prospective observational cohort, we demonstrate that 4-week on-treatment changes in plasma ctDNA levels can accurately identify metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer that will progress within 6 months of initiating first-line abiraterone or enzalutamide treatment. On-treatment ctDNA measurements outperformed existing clinical variables for predicting disease response and were also closely associated with differential overall survival. Although optimal timing of blood collections and thresholds for ctDNA detection will require further testing, our data highlights the potential for sequential ctDNA measurements to provide an early and reliable read-out for therapy response. The high accuracy of this information suggests that ctDNA could be useful for guiding clinical trials of therapy changes in initially non-responsive metastatic cancers.

  Study EGAS00001006856

• Chronic lymphocytic leukemia IGHV somatic hypermutation detection by targeted capture next-generation sequencing

  Somatic hypermutation (SHM) status of the immunoglobulin heavy variable (IGHV) gene locus plays a crucial role in determining the prognosis and treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). A common approach for determining SHM status is multiplex PCR of the IGH gene followed by Sanger sequencing; however, this technique is low throughput, vulnerable to failure, and does not allow multiplexing with other molecular diagnostic assays. Here we designed and validated a DNA targeted capture approach that allows the assessment of IGHV SHM status as a sub-module of a larger next-generation sequencing (NGS) assay. We developed an end-to-end assay that takes as input raw FASTQ files and outputs a report containing IGHV SHM status and V-allele usage following the guidelines of the European Research Initiative on CLL (ERIC). We validated the approach on 35 CLL patient samples, 34 of which were previously characterized using Sanger sequencing. The targeted capture NGS panel identified the SHM status of 34 of 35 CLL patients. We showed 100% sensitivity and specificity among the 33 CLL samples with both NGS and Sanger calls. Furthermore, we demonstrated that this panel can be combined with additional targeted capture panels to detect common and prognostically important CLL single nucleotide variants (SNV) and insertion/deletion (indel) variants as well as copy number variants (del17p). Thus, a targeted capture approach to IGHV SHM detection can be easily integrated into broader sequencing panels, allowing broad CLL prognostication in a single molecular assay.

  Study EGAS00001006887

• Analysis of T-cell receptor clonotypes in tumor micro-environment identifies shared cancer type-specific signatures

  Despite the conventional view that a truly random V(D)J recombination process should generate a highly diverse immune repertoire, emerging reports suggest that there is a certain bias towards the generation of shared/public immune receptor chains. These studies were performed in viral diseases where public T-cell receptors (TCR) appear to confer better protective responses. Selective pressures generating common TCR clonotypes are currently not well understood but it is believed that they confer a growth advantage. As very little is known about public TCR clonotypes in cancer, here we set out to determine the extent of shared TCR clonotypes in the intra-tumor microenvironments of virus- and non-virus- driven head and neck cancers using TCR sequencing. We report that tumor-infiltrating T-cell clonotypes were indeed shared across individuals with the same cancer type, where the majority of shared sequences were specific to the cancer type (ie viral versus non-viral). These shared clonotypes were not particularly enriched in EBV-associated nasopharynx cancer, but in both cancers, exhibited distinct characteristics, namely shorter CDR3 lengths, restricted V- and J-gene usages and also demonstrated convergent V(D)J recombination. Many of these shared TCRs were expressed in patients with a shared HLA background. Pattern recognition of CDR3 amino acid sequences revealed strong convergence to specific motifs that were unique to each cancer type, suggesting they may be enriched for specificity to common antigens found in the tumor microenvironment. The identification of shared TCRs in infiltrating tumor T-cells not only adds to our understanding of the tumor adaptive immune recognition but could also serve as disease-specific biomarkers and guide the development of future immunotherapies.

  Study EGAS00001005480

• Federated discovery and sharing of genomic data using Beacons

  The Beacon Project is a Global Alliance for Genomics & Health (GA4GH) initiative that enables genomic and clinical data sharing across federated networks. The project is working toward developing regulatory, ethics and security guidance to ensure proportionate safeguards for distribution of data according to the GA4GH-developed “Framework for Responsible Sharing of Genomic and Health-Related Data”. Within this Nature Biotechnology Correspondence a description of the Beacon protocol and how it can be used as a model for the federated discovery and sharing of genomic data is offered to the community. A Beacon is defined as a web-accessible service that can be queried for information about a specific allele. A user of a Beacon can pose queries of the form “Have you observed this nucleotide (e.g., C) at this genomic location (e.g., position 32,936,732 on chromosome 13)?” to which the Beacon responds with either “yes” or “no.” In this way, a Beacon allows allelic information of interest to be discovered by a remote searcher with no reference to a specific sample or patient, thereby mitigating privacy risks. The Beacon API (represented as a RESTful web application) provides a technical specification that a Beacon server must implement. The specification is open source and available online here. To simplify the process of lighting a Beacon, a free, open-source reference implementation of the latest specification has been developed. GA4GH is promoting different levels of data access (open, registered, and controlled) for convenience and for compatibility across its projects. Each so-called access tier has distinct visibility and requirements for authorization. For example, ‘open access’ Beacons are accessible to anonymous users of the internet, whereas ‘registered access’ Beacons are accessible to registered users (for example, bona fide researchers and clinicians) who have agreed to a set of conditions of data use. Many of the largest genomic archives, such as dbGaP, the European Genome-phenome Archive and the European Variation Archive, have provided access to variation data through Beacons for some or all of their datasets. Beacons can be interconnected through the Beacon Network, a directory and search engine for Beacons. Although individual Beacons answer the question “Have you observed this allele?”, the Beacon Network answers the question “Who has observed this allele?”. Beacons can be freely registered to the Beacon Network and can be searched independently or in aggregate with other connected Beacons.

  Blog federated-discovery-using-beacons

• The Federated EGA network

  In the last 10 years, most human omics data has been generated in the context of research consortia while recently there has been an emergence of large cohorts of human data generated by healthcare initiatives. Many countries in Europe now have nascent personalised medicine programmes. Thus, human genomics is shifting from being predominantly research-driven to being funded through healthcare systems. Genetic data generated in a healthcare context is subject to more stringent information governance than research data and nonetheless all data must adhere to national data protections laws. In this context, EGA identified the need for the development of a federated network to enable secure sharing of data whilst enabling genetic data to remain within the jurisdiction in which it was generated. The Federated EGA is designed to support national data management requirements for genomic and clinical data collected from citizens as part of healthcare or biomedical research projects. It includes a secure authorised access mechanism to support research use of these data across Europe and worldwide. We have engaged with over 14 ELIXIR countries to develop the federation model. The EGA federated configuration is composed of Central EGA, Federated EGA nodes and Community EGA nodes: Central EGA offers international submissions and helpdesk support, currently EGA co-managed by EMBL-EBI and CRG, Federated EGA nodes offer EGA services to researchers within their national jurisdiction, Community EGA nodes are individual institutions or initiatives with human genetic data intended to be shared with the research community. Key services available in the Federated EGA structure are: Central EGA Federated EGA node Community EGA nodes Data submission Offers international submissions service Offers submission service in a particular jurisdiction Does not offer an external submissions service Helpdesk support Provides external international helpdesk Provides helpdesk support for submitters in its jurisdiction and for approved users of data managed at its facilities Provides helpdesk support only for approved users of data managed at its facilities Data distribution Manages worldwide distribution for data hosted at Central EGA Manages worldwide distribution for data hosted at Federated EGA node Distribution for data hosted at Community EGA node EMBL-EBI and CRG have prepared a series of documents describing the overall governance and coordination framework. These describe the Federated EGA structure, the rights and responsibilities of the different parties and governing committees, and node operation guidelines. The federation governance proposal is under review by the first countries invited to join as Federated nodes, with further interested countries likely to join in the coming years. The Central EGA team has been working closely with many ELIXIR partners, including ELIXIR Finland, Luxembourg, Germany, Norway, Spain and Sweden.

  Blog the-federated-ega-network

• New set of services for all users unveiled at the EGA

  The European Genome-phenome Archive (EGA) releases today a brand-new website as well as a set of improved services for users, comprising a revamped Submitter Portal with an improved API and data brokering functionality for submitters, as well as a new DAC Portal for Data Access Committee members to easily manage data access requests. The EGA team has been working hard over the past months on these improvements that will provide a better experience for the users. Discover them below! Visit our new EGA website and check the new functionalities and updated guides Our new website is live, with a fresh look and updated features to discover all the novelties. The homepage now includes three pathways to guide our users, depending on whether they want to deposit, download or manage data within the Archive. One of the most outstanding developments is the introduction of a streamlined process for requesting access to data: EGA Users can now directly request access to their preferred datasets through the website using their EGA accounts. Additionally, users can customise their profile, oversee active sessions, and manage the public keys, essential for our latest array of services, alongside a range of other features. Another major change is our new Help Desk contact method: a built-in website form tailored for user inquiries. This system, called "Need Help?", can be easily located on the top right-hand side of the website. It will encompass both EGA and Federated EGA node users' requests. We will detail its use soon, so stay tuned. Register your metadata to the EGA easily with our new Submitter Portal The new Submitter Portal makes the submission process quicker and more intuitive. The process is currently divided into sections that the user will know beforehand by taking the tour that the EGA team has created to guide users through the Portal before starting the first submission. Do not complete your data submissions alone! Our Submitter Portal now includes a collaboration mode so that every submission can be completed by authorised collaborators with an EGA Profile. There are a lot more features that we will be detailing from now on in incoming posts. A new platform for Data Access Committee Members The new DAC Portal brings novelties for individuals engaged in governance, legal, technical, operational roles, or those acting as data stewards. DAC members will be able to easily manage DACs, policies, and data access requests with the new Portal. Take the tour now to check them out! Help us improve the services completing the EGA Survey As part of our ongoing journey to improve your experience, we have created an EGA User Survey. This questionnaire covers a wide range of aspects such as user experience, support and data accessibility, among others. Participate now and take the opportunity to suggest your own improvements. Help us enhance your experience in this new era for the EGA. Subscribe to the EGA Mailing List and stay tuned In the next weeks we will share more information about the possibilities of the new services. You can easily join the EGA Mailing List to receive all the updates.

  Blog new-set-of-services-at-EGA

• Finding the way towards the eradication of therapy-related myeloid neoplasms

  Therapy-related neoplasms are directly caused by the drugs used to eradicate a previous cancer. It is well known that a subset of drugs designed to kill cancer cells through DNA-damage-induced apoptosis can intrinsically, as secondary effect, cause DNA-damage in other cells, thus inducing a neoplasm. Those neoplasms have especially bad prognosis. Why are these drugs still in use? Because for many diseases we do not have anything better, at the moment. Approximately 0.5-1% of the kids treated for various types of cancers develop a therapy-related myeloid neoplasm (tMN) as a result of the treatment. Despite having the same origin, their prognostic and molecular features are different from the adult ones, and a complete understanding of the pathogenesis of tMN in children is still missing. A total of 84 paediatrics neoplasms have been profiled by either Whole Genome or Whole Exome sequencing by Jason R. Schwartz and his colleagues, in a collaborative effort guided at the St. Jude Children's hospital, in Memphis. They identified a mean of 28 somatic mutations per patient, a number which is significantly bigger than the number of mutations found in paediatrics primary neoplasms, as depicted in the original paper's figure 1b, shown here. Their sequencing data identified that Ras/MAPK pathway mutations, alterations in RUNX1 or TP53, and KMT2A rearrangements as the most frequent drivers of the disease. Clonal evolution analysis (the comparative study of the behaviour of cells harbouring different mutations) highlighted that, unlike in adults’ tMN, there were not pre-existing leukemic clones, and virtually all mutated cells were found arising as a direct consequence of cytotoxic therapy. This represents yet another important difference between adult and paediatric tMN. This important study have been published in Nature communications in February 2021. The sequencing data have been deposited at EGA under the study number EGAS00001004850. Thanks to this, other researchers around the world could re-use it to uncover more information, integrate and validate their studies. Revealing the molecular features underlying the development of cancers is the only way towards the development of new generation targeted therapies, which will allow us to finally drop the cytotoxic drugs eliciting such unwanted and catastrophic secondary effects as tMN. It is not an overstatement to say that, while improving the treatment of primary tumours, we could entirely eradicate therapy-related neoplasms right from their origin. Looking forward.

  Blog eradication-of-therapy-related-myeloid-neoplasms

• From research to data sharing: exploring EGA user's experiences

  The Cell Plasticity and Regeneration Group at the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute-IDIBELL focuses on the process of recruitment of macrophages that takes place in the small intestine during injury and healing. They recently published a paper titled “Mucosal Macrophages Govern Intestinal Regeneration in Response to Injury" in Gastroenterology Journal. As part of the research, some experiments were conducted using human intestinal organoid lines. These cells were processed for RNA sequencing, and the sequencing data were deposited at the EGA to be made available to the scientific community. When dealing with human genomic information, repositories must ensure the availability of the datasets while ensuring data protection. In this context, the European Genome-phenome Archive stands as a service for secure archiving and sharing of genetic, phenotypic and clinical data resulting from biomedical research. Following the recent publication of their paper, we took the opportunity to talk to Ilias Moraitis, first author, and Jordi Guiu, group leader, to find out about their experience with data sharing. Could you explain the focus of your research? In the lab, we study intestinal regeneration and how immune cells participate in this process. We use several techniques: engineered mouse models, image tracing, as well as mouse and human cells intestinal organoids. What challenges do you face regarding data management? We didn’t have a lot of problems. Always the informatic part, the data analysis, can give problems. But everything was smooth and working. We think it’s very important to deposit the data in repositories. For the mouse data it is very straightforward, but for us it was the first time depositing human data, which is sensitive because it comes from patients, and this is legally regulated. That’s why we thought about the EGA, and it was our first time. Why do you think it is important to submit data to repositories such as EGA? Because we think data is important for the science. Nowadays, we are sequencing a lot everywhere worldwide and having these resources shared with the scientific community it’s not only good for science, but it is also saving money and reducing costs. And there is so much data in there that can be used for other projects and for other questions. And it saves time! How was the process of submitting the data to the EGA? The communication worked very well but it was slower than we would like. But I think this is something we learn on the way. People usually wait until the last minute to do this before publication but if you know it in advance, you can start the process earlier. If you had to repeat the process, would you do anything differently? It’s like everything, isn’t it? For the first time you don’t know, you aren’t sure, but for the second time you know the steps, you know what to do and it’s faster. Of course, we would to do it earlier. Also, there were some things related to the control access that we didn’t know how to manage, but it was something more internal to us. Who is going to receive the communications and when, is our ethical committee going to evaluate this? All these technicalities that we didn’t know before starting this process, so we had to think about all these things. Next time it will be faster on our side. Do you have any suggestions for us to improve the submission process? Maybe we’ll need to ask our bioinformatician who did it! He was in charge of this part. Besides that, we think if the process were faster, it would be better for everyone. Also, in science a lot of times you have to do a lot of things at the very last minute, because of the nature of the experiments, or the need to accomplish for submitting a paper. Being faster in the process would be a plus. On your side, we went through the process and were able to find some information, but there were aspects we weren't aware of and weren't sure how to handle. I'm not sure if other institutes have different protocols for managing data requests or how they handle these internally. We believe the main issue lies in how the forms are filled out. Do you have any recommendations for other submitters? The main advice is to do this with enough time. Submit the data when you have the sequences, and don’t wait until the last minute. And then it can be under embargo, so you don’t need to make it public at that moment. As soon as you sequence, upload it and then it will be there for whenever you need to publish. How do you think we could encourage other researchers to submit their data? There are different layers here. One is that it is mandatory. You have to do this. The other is that we belong to a research community, to the same community and sharing this is making our research community stronger and more efficient. And then, also because this gives you visibility. The data is there, other people can analyse your data, and this also will bring citations to your papers. It has many advantages.

  Blog from-research-to-data-sharing

• Highlights from 2025: Our top 10 requested studies

  In 2025, as in previous years, EGA has facilitated the reuse of numerous datasets spanning a broad range of research and healthcare topics. To reflect on this activity, we would like to highlight the top 10 studies behind the most requested datasets of last year. Notably, the vast majority of these highly requested datasets are cancer-focused, particularly involving the study of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have become one of the most transformative advances in modern cancer therapy. These monoclonal antibodies enhance antitumor immune responses by targeting inhibitory immune checkpoint molecules. While ICIs have led to remarkably favorable and durable responses in some patients, treatment outcomes vary widely. This variability has fueled intense research efforts aimed at understanding resistance mechanisms, exploring combination therapies, and discovering predictive biomarkers to better stratify patients and guide treatment decisions. Study Title Disease 1 EGAS00001005503 Integrated genomic analyses reveal molecular correlates of clinical response and resistance to atezolizumab in combination with bevacizumab in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma Liver Cancer 2 EGAS00001005013 Intratumoral plasma cells predict outcomes to PD-L1 blockade in non-small cell lung cancer Lung Cancer 3 EGAS00001004809 BIOKEY: A single-cell catalogue of the dynamic changes underlying Checkpoint Immunotherapy response in Early Breast Cancer Breast Cancer 4 EGAS50000000138 BIOKEY: Immune heterogeneity in small cell lung cancer and vulnerability to immune checkpoint blockade Lung Cancer 5 EGAS50000000497 Bladder cancer subtyping study across 4 atezo clinical trials Bladder Cancer 6 EGAS50000000689 MOSAIC - Multi-Omics Spatial Atlas In Cancer Cancer Atlas 7 EGAS00000000083 METABRIC (Breast cancer - genome and transcriptome) Breast Cancer 8 EGAS00001005702 Human genomic and phenotypic synthetic data for the study of rare diseases Synthetic data 9 EGAS00001002556 TGF-β attenuates tumour response to PD-L1 blockade by contributing to exclusion of T cells Bladder Cancer 10 EGAS00001004353 Molecular subsets in renal cancer determine outcome to checkpoint and angiogenesis blockade Renal Cancer The most requested dataset of the year was EGAD00001008128. It belongs to a study that analyzed 358 liver cancer patients enrolled in clinical trials and treated with the combination of atezolizumab (anti–PD-L1) and bevacizumab (anti-VEGF), atezolizumab alone, or sorafenib. The study highlights how bevacizumab enhances anti-PD-L1 effect and identifies candidate biomarkers to predict treatment response. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary liver cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide [1]. Because symptoms often appear late, many patients are diagnosed at advanced stages, when curative options are no longer viable. For many years, sorafenib—a multikinase inhibitor approved in 2007—was the only systemic treatment available. Although numerous clinical trials followed, it was not until a decade later that additional therapies showed meaningful clinical benefit. Among these advances, immunotherapy emerged as a promising first-line option [2]. In particular, the combination of atezolizumab and bevacizumab demonstrated improved survival in patients with advanced HCC, reshaping the treatment landscape. However, treatment efficacy remains limited by the complex and diverse hepatic microenvironments that influence immune responses, as well as by high intratumoral heterogeneity. Identifying robust predictors of treatment response is critical to enable effective patient stratification and maximize the benefits of these therapies [2]. The continued demand for these datasets highlights the interest and critical role of data reuse in deepening our understanding of cancer, accelerating the development of more effective therapies, and improving patient outcomes. By providing secure access to high-quality genomic and clinical data, EGA acts as a catalyst for biomedical progress. References Sung, Hyuna, et al. "Global cancer statistics 2020: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries."CA: a cancer journal for clinicians 71.3 (2021): 209-249. Ladd, Alexandra D, et al.“Mechanisms of drug resistance in HCC.” Hepatology 79(4) (2024): 926-940

  Blog top-10-studies-2025

• Convergent evolution drives therapy resistance in DNA repair-deficient mCRPC

  These are FASTQ files obtained from RNA-sequencing and DNA-sequencing of tumor biopsies obtained from metastatic castration-resistant prostate tumors. Patients were treated with multiple lines of therapy with samples obtained at the time of rapid autopsy following the CASCADE protocol. Multiple biopsies were obtained from each patient under guidance of pathology. DNA were analyzed by high-depth whole genome, exome, and targeted sequencing. RNA were analyzed using a Nugen amplification protocol as described in Quigley Cell 2018.

  Study EGAS00001007147

• An Integrated Approach to Patient Stratification and Therapy Selection in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

  As more clinically-relevant genomic features of myeloid malignancies are revealed, it has become clear that targeted clinical genetic testing is inadequate for risk stratification. Here, we developed and validated a clinical transcriptome-based assay for stratification of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Comparison of RNA-Seq to whole genome and exome sequencing revealed that as a standalone assay, RNA-Seq offered the greatest diagnostic return, enabling identification of expressed gene fusions, single nucleotide and short insertion/deletion variants, and whole-transcriptome expression information. Expression data were used to develop a novel risk score which, when combined with molecular risk guidelines, allowed for the re-stratification of 22.1 to 25.3% of AML patients from three independent cohorts into correct risk groups. Within the adverse-risk subgroup, we identified a subset of patients characterized by dysregulated integrin signaling and RUNX1 or TP53 mutation. We show that these patients may benefit from therapy with inhibitors of focal adhesion kinase (PTK2), demonstrating additional utility of transcriptome-based testing for therapy selection in myeloid malignancy.

  Dataset EGAD00001006701

• Whole exome sequencing of normal CD34+ cells

  The Genomic DNA Clean & Concentrator kit (ZYMO Research) was used to remove EDTA from the DNA samples. Sample libraries were prepared using 100 ng of input according to the KAPA HyperPlus Kit (Roche) using Unique Dual Index adapters (Integrated DNA Technologies, Inc.). Exomes were captured using the SeqCap EZ MedExome (Roche Nimblegen) according to SeqCap EZ HyperCap Library v1.0 Guide (Roche) with the xGen Universal blockers – TS Mix (Integrated DNA Technologies, Inc.). The amplified captured sample libraries were paired-end sequenced (2x100 bp) on the Novaseq 6000 platform (Illumina) and aligned to the hg19 reference genome using the Burrows-Wheeler Aligner (BWA)3, v0.7.15-r1140.

  Dataset EGAD00001007645

• Pre-activated anti-viral innate immunity in the upper airways controls early SARS-CoV-2 infection in children

  We investigated 10 female and 14 male SARS-CoV-2 positive children (age range: 0.8 to 18 years). Based on the WHO guidelines, 15 patients were classified as having mild COVID-19, while 7 children were classified as moderate COVID-19 cases. Two children were asymptomatic. 8 female and 10 male SARS-CoV-2 negative children were included as controls (age range: 4 to 16). 12 SARS-CoV-2 positive female and 9 male adults were included ( age range: 27 - 76) together with 13 female and 10 male SARS-CoV-2 negative adult controls (age: 24 - 77). 10 adult COVID-19 patients had mild disease, while 12 had moderate COVID-19. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing experiments.

  Dataset EGAD00001007969

• Genomic signatures define three subtypes of EGFR-mutant stage II-III non-small-cell lung cancer with distinct adjuvant therapy outcomes

  This dataset contains targeted sequencing data of 204 surgical samples from resected NSCLC. Genomic profiling identifies five predictive biomarkers, which is then integrated into the Multiple-gene INdex to Evaluate the Relative benefit of Various Adjuvant therapies (MINERVA) score. The MINERVA score categorizes patients into three subgroups with relative disease-free survival and overall survival benefits from either adjuvant gefitinib or chemotherapy. This study demonstrates that predictive genomic signatures could potentially stratify resected EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients and provide precise guidance towards future personalized adjuvant therapy.

  Dataset EGAD00001008157

• Characterization of Cell Free Plasma Methyl-DNA From Xenografted Tumors to Guide the Selection of Diagnostic Markers for Early-Stage Cancers

  Circulating cell-free methyl-DNA (mcfDNA) contains promising cancer markers but its low abundance and possibly diverse origin pose challenges toward the accurate diagnosis of early stage cancers. By whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from about 0.5 mL plasma of mice xenografted with human tumors, we obtained and aligned the reads to the human genome, filtered out the mouse and carrier bacterial sequences, and confirmed the tumor origin of methyl-cfDNA (mctDNA) by methylation-sensitive restriction enzyme digestion prior to species-specific PCR. We estimated that human tumor-specific reads (ctDNA) or mctDNA comprised about 0.29 or 0.01%, respectively of the xenograft mouse cfDNA, and about 0.029 or 0.001% of the cfDNA of human early stage cancer patients. Similar WGBS of early stage (0-II, node- and metastasis-free) breast, lung or colorectal cancer samples identified hundreds of specific DMRs (differentially methylated regions) compared to healthy controls. Their association with tumourigenesis was supported by stage-dependent methylation, tumor suppressor or oncogene clusters, and genes also identified in the xenograft samples. Using 20 three-cancer-common and 17 colorectal cancer-specific DMRs in combination (top 0.0018% of the WGBS methylation clusters) was sufficient to distinguish the stage I colorectal cancers from breast and lung cancers and healthy controls. Our data thus confirmed the tumor origin of mctDNA by sequence specificity, and provide a selection threshold for authentic tumor mctDNA markers toward precise diagnosis of early stage cancers solely by top DMRs in combination.

  Dataset EGAD00001008696

• RaScALL: Rapid (Ra) screening (Sc) of RNA-seq data for prognostically significant genomic alterations in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL)

  RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) efforts in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) have identified numerous prognostically significant genomic alterations which can guide diagnostic risk stratification and treatment choices when detected early. However, a full RNA-seq Bioinformatics workflow is time-consuming and costly in a clinical setting where rapid detection and accurate reporting of clinically relevant alterations are essential. To accelerate the identification of ALL-specific alterations (including gene fusions, single nucleotide variants and focal gene deletions), we developed the rapid screening tool RaScALL, capable of identifying more than 100 prognostically significant lesions directly from raw sequencing reads. RaScALL uses the k-mer based targeted detection tool km and known ALL variant information to achieve a high degree of accuracy for reporting subtype defining genomic alterations compared to standard alignment-based pipelines. Gene fusions, including difficult to detect fusions involving EPOR and DUX4, were accurately identified in 98% (164 samples) of reported cases in a 180-patient Australian study cohort and 95% (n=63) of samples in a North American validation cohort. Pathogenic sequence variants were correctly identified in 75% of tested samples, including all cases involving subtype defining variants PAX5 p.P80R (n=12) and IKZF1 p.N159Y (n=4). Accurate detection of intragenic IKZF1 deletions resulting in aberrant transcript isoforms was also detectable with 98% accuracy. Importantly, the median analysis time for detection of all targeted alterations averaged 22 minutes per sample, significantly shorter than standard alignment-based approaches, ensuring accelerated risk-stratification and therapeutic triage.

  Dataset EGAD00001009087

• Diagnostic utility of whole genome sequencing in adults with B-other acute lymphoblastic leukemia

  Genomic profiling at diagnosis of B-cell precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (BCP-ALL) in adults is used to guide disease classification, risk stratification and treatment decisions. Patients for which diagnostic screening fails to identify disease defining or risk stratifying lesions are classified as B-other ALL. We screened a cohort of 652 BCP-ALL cases enrolled in UKALL14 to identify and perform whole genome sequencing (WGS) on paired tumor-normal samples. For 52 B-other patients we compared WGS findings to data from clinical and research cytogenetics. WGS identifies a cancer associated event in 51/52 cases, this includes an established subtype defining genetic alteration in 5/52 that were previously missed by standard-of-care genetics. Of the 47 true B-other ALL we identified a recurrent driver in 87% (41).  Complex karyotype by cytogenetics emerges as a heterogeneous group, underlied by distinct genetic alterations associated with either favorable (DUX4-r) or poor outcomes (MEF2D-r, IGK::BCL2). For a subset of 31 cases, we integrate findings from RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis to include fusion gene detection, and classification by gene expression. Compared to RNA-seq, WGS was sufficient to detect and resolve recurrent genetic subtypes, however RNA-seq can provide orthogonal validation of findings. In conclusion, we demonstrate that WGS can identify clinically relevant genetic abnormalities missed by standard-of-care testing and identify leukemia driver events in virtually all cases of B-other ALL.

  Dataset EGAD00001009304

• Genetic screening of GPI-anchor protein synthesis

  This study will analyse the guide sequence which were used for making mutations in the Cas9-expressing cells. We used GeCKO v2 library which were released by Feng Zhang, 2014. This data is part of a pre-publication release. For information on the proper use of pre-publication data shared by the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (including details of any publication moratoria), please see http://www.sanger.ac.uk/datasharing/

  Dataset EGAD00001001928

• Diagnostic utility of whole genome sequencing in adults with B-other acute lymphoblastic leukemia - RNA

  Genomic profiling at diagnosis of B-cell precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (BCP-ALL) in adults is used to guide disease classification, risk stratification and treatment decisions. Patients for which diagnostic screening fails to identify disease defining or risk stratifying lesions are classified as B-other ALL. We screened a cohort of 652 BCP-ALL cases enrolled in UKALL14 to identify and perform whole genome sequencing (WGS) on paired tumor-normal samples. For 52 B-other patients we compared WGS findings to data from clinical and research cytogenetics. WGS identifies a cancer associated event in 51/52 cases, this includes an established subtype defining genetic alteration in 5/52 that were previously missed by standard-of-care genetics. Of the 47 true B-other ALL we identified a recurrent driver in 87% (41).  Complex karyotype by cytogenetics emerges as a heterogeneous group, underlied by distinct genetic alterations associated with either favorable (DUX4-r) or poor outcomes (MEF2D-r, IGK::BCL2). For a subset of 31 cases, we integrate findings from RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis to include fusion gene detection, and classification by gene expression. Compared to RNA-seq, WGS was sufficient to detect and resolve recurrent genetic subtypes, however RNA-seq can provide orthogonal validation of findings. In conclusion, we demonstrate that WGS can identify clinically relevant genetic abnormalities missed by standard-of-care testing and identify leukemia driver events in virtually all cases of B-other ALL.

  Dataset EGAD00001009305

• Myeloid-specific KDM6B inhibition sensitizes Glioblastoma to PD1 blockade

  This data set include FASTQ files for five experiments: Human scRNA-Seq data (6 samples), Human Visium spatial transcriptomic data (3 samples), Mouse scRNA-seq data (4 samples), Mouse scATAC-seq data (2 samples), Mouse ChIP-seq data (8 samples). For the mouse scATAC-seq data (2 samples), there are originally three FASTQ files, R1, R2 and R3 files. The R1 and R2 FASTQ files were merged into one larger file ("R1R2") per sample for submission as paired-end sequencing setting to follow the EGA guidelines. They can be split into individual R1 and R2 files in order to be processed by Cell Ranger software. The files with IC1 suffix are CHIP-seq Input control for anti-KDM6B antibody pull down experiments and the files with IC2 suffix are CHIP-seq Input control for anti-H3K27ME3 antibody pull down experiments in murine model.

  Dataset EGAD00001010073

• Glioblastoma CRISPR Screen (2016-06-02)

  This is an in vitro genome-wide CRISPR/cas9 screen in human glioblastoma stem cells, screening for genes essential for survival of these cells. These cells express cas9 and have been transfected with a guide RNA library causing gene knockouts. We will analyse the sequencing data for depletion of guide RNAs. This dataset contains all the data available for this study on 2016-06-02.

  Dataset EGAD00001002158

• Influence of the Microbiome on Epigenetic Mechanisms in IBD

  Live CD4 T cells were sorted from inflamed and non-inflamed tissue samples of IBD patients or from healthy and IBD blood samples. ATAC-Seq libraries were generated from live CD4 T cells sorted from i) inflamed and non-inflamed tissue samples, ii) healthy and IBD blood samples, or from iii) CD4 T cell subsets polarised from healthy blood samples. After isolating crude nuclei, live CD4+ T cells were treated with Tagment DNA buffer and Tagment DNA Enzyme (Nextera DNA Library Prep Kit, Illumina), and then the DNA was purified by MinElute PCR Purification Kit (Qiagen). Transposed DNA fragments were amplified using specific adapters followed by purification with MinElute PCR Purification Kit (Qiagen). Fragments from 240-360pb were selected in the PippinHT system (Sage Science). The quality of the library and its DNA concentration were assessed by Bioanalyzer instruments (Agilent Technologies) and ultimately submitted for sequencing using Illumina HiSeq 2500 sequencer, V4 chemistry. On the other hand, single cell RNA-Seq libraries were generated exclusively from inflamed and non-inflamed tissue samples of Crohn’s disease patients. Briefly, live CD4 T cells were captured and encapsulated before cDNA amplification using the 10X Genomics Chromium Platform. Samples were prepared as outlined by 10x genomics Single Cell 3’ Reagent Kits v2 user guide. Samples were sequenced on a HiSeq 2500 with the following run parameters: Read 1 – 26 cycles, read 2 – 98 cycles, index 1 – 8 cycles.

  Dataset EGAD00001011066

• Reliable detection of somatic mutations in solid tissues by laser-capture microdissection and low-input DNA sequencing

  Somatic mutations accumulate in healthy tissues as we age, giving rise to cancer and potentially contributing to ageing. To study somatic mutations in non-neoplastic tissues, we developed a series of protocols to sequence the genomes of small populations of cells isolated from histological sections. Here, we describe a complete workflow that combines laser-capture microdissection (LCM) with low-input genome sequencing, whilst circumventing the use of whole-genome amplification (WGA). The protocol is subdivided broadly into 4 steps: tissue processing, LCM, low-input library generation and mutation calling and filtering. The tissue processing and LCM steps are provided as general guidelines which may require tailoring based on the specific requirements of the study at hand. Our protocol for low-input library generation utilises enzymatic rather than acoustic fragmentation to generate WGA-free whole-genome libraries. Finally, the mutation calling and filtering strategy has been adapted from previously published protocols to account for artefacts introduced via library creation. To date, we have used this workflow to perform targeted and whole-genome sequencing of small populations of cells (typically 100-1,000 cells) in thousands of microbiopsies from a wide range of human tissues. The low-input DNA protocol is designed to be compatible with liquid handling platforms and make use of equipment and expertise standard to any core sequencing facility. However, obtaining low-input DNA material via LCM requires specialized equipment and expertise. The entire protocol from tissue reception through whole-genome library generation can be accomplished in as little as a week, though 2-3 weeks would be a more typical turnaround time.

  Dataset EGAD00001006088

• Whole exome sequencing of a representative cohort of AML

  The Genomic DNA Clean & Concentrator kit (ZYMO Research) was used to remove EDTA from the DNA samples. Sample libraries were prepared using 100 ng of input according to the KAPA HyperPlus Kit (Roche) using Unique Dual Index adapters (Integrated DNA Technologies, Inc.). Exomes were captured using the SeqCap EZ MedExome (Roche Nimblegen) according to SeqCap EZ HyperCap Library v1.0 Guide (Roche) with the xGen Universal blockers – TS Mix (Integrated DNA Technologies, Inc.). The amplified captured sample libraries were paired-end sequenced (2x100 bp) on the Novaseq 6000 platform (Illumina) and aligned to the hg19 reference genome using the Burrows-Wheeler Aligner (BWA)3, v0.7.15-r1140.

  Dataset EGAD00001007580

• An MTOR mutation hitchhikes through renal embryogenesis, driving multifocal, multiphenotypic tumours - WGS

  Embryogenesis is a vulnerable time. Mutations in developmental cells can result in the seeding of cells predisposed to disease within mature organs, creating a field effect. We characterise an embryonic cancer mutation that drives multifocal, multiphenotypic renal tumours in a 14-year-old girl. Their shared MTOR mutation, absent from normal tissues, increases protein flexibility which enables a FAT domain hinge to dramatically increase mTORC1 activity. Developmental mutations, not usually detected in traditional genetic screening, have vital clinical importance in guiding prognosis, targeted treatment, and family screening decisions for paediatric tumours.

  Dataset EGAD00001011645

• 5' single cell RNA sequencing

  Pared-end fastq files of 22 AML and 2 normal bone marrow samples were generated using 10x Genomics 5' single cell RNA sequencing following manufacturer's protocol (CG000086 User Guide RevG) for chemistry version 1.0 and targeting 10000 cells per sample. Libraries were sequenced using Illumina HiSeq 4000 using recommended cycling parameters.

  Dataset EGAD00001007672

• Single cell ATAC sequencing

  Paired-end fastq files of 22 AML and 2 normal bone marrow samples were generated using 10x Genomics single cell ATAC sequencing following manufacturer's protocol (CG000168 User Guide RevB) for chemistry version 1.0 and targeting 10000 nuclei per sample. Libraries were sequenced using Illumina HiSeq4000 using recommended cycling parameters.

  Dataset EGAD00001007675

• CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing of Schistosoma mansoni acetylcholinesterase

  Here we report successful gene knock-in (KI) in the eggs of Schistosoma mansoni by combining CRISPR/Cas9 with single-stranded oligodeoxynucleotides (ssODNs). We targeted the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) gene of S. mansoni using two synthetic guide RNAs (gRNAs), X5 and X7, respectively. Liver eggs of S. mansoni were exposed to CRISPR-vector containing X5 or X7 by electroporation. Simultaneously, eggs were transfected with a ssODN donor encoding a stop codon in all six frames. Next generation sequencing analysis revealed that CRISPR/Cas9-mediated editing in S. mansoni eggs resulted in Homology-Directed Repair (HDR) when template DNA ssODN provided. Furthermore, soluble egg antigen (SEA) from AChE-modified eggs exhibited markedly reduced AChE activity compared with controls, indicative that programmed Cas9 cleavage mutated the AChE gene. Following injection of modified schistosome eggs into the tail veins of mice, a significant decrease in granuloma size in the lungs of these animals. Notably, an enhanced Th2 response induced by eggs in lung, and splenocytes small intestine-draining mesenteric lymph node cells was also generated in mice injected with X5-KI eggs in different methods. These findings further demonstrate the power and utility of CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing for undertaking functional genomics studies in schistosomes.

  Dataset EGAD00001006573

• Glioblastoma stem cell lines RNA-seq (Guilhamon et al.)

  RNA was extracted from GSCs using the Qiagen RNeasy Plus kit. RNA sample quality was measured by Qubit (Life Technologies) for concentration and by Agilent Bioanalyzer for RNA integrity. All samples had RIN above 9. Libraries were prepared using the TruSeq Stranded mRNA kit (Illumina). Two hundred nanograms from each sample were purified for polyA tail containing mRNA molecules using poly-T oligo attached magnetic beads, then fragmented post-purification. The cleaved RNA fragments were copied into first strand cDNA using reverse transcriptase and random primers. This is followed by second strand cDNA synthesis using RNase H and DNA Polymerase I. A single “A” base was added and adapter ligated followed by purification and enrichment with PCR to create cDNA libraries. Final cDNA libraries were verified by the Agilent Bioanalyzer for size and concentration quantified by qPCR. All libraries were pooled to a final concentration of 1.8nM, clustered and sequenced on the Illumina NextSeq500 as a pair-end 75 cycle sequencing run using v2 reagents to achieve a minimum of ~40 million reads per sample.

  Dataset EGAD00001006813

• Reference single cell SNP array dataset from Coriell for training and validation of method for accurate single cell genotyping

  This dataset contains DNA from B-lymphocytes from 2 Coriell families and 4 individuals hybridized to HumanKaryomap BeadChip Array. Single cells from subjects GM12878 and GM7228 were amplified using multiple displacement amplification (SureMDA) according to Infium Karyomapping Assay Guide. Bulk DNA was processed and hybridized to an array for subject GM12878, GM07224 and GM07225.

  Dataset EGAD00001006376

• Single cell characterization of T-cell lymphoma: RNA (2025-07-31)

  Lymphomas are types of blood cancer derived from lymphocytes, and can be classified into two main categories, Hodgkin's lymphomas (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL). T-cell lymphoma is a type of NHL that develops from T lymphocytes and accounts for 10-15% of total NHL cases. As a rare disease, T-cell lymphoma is functionally, pathologically, and clinically complex and heterogeneous. The 2016 revision of the WHO classification has listed 29 subtypes of mature T/NK-cell neoplasms, among which over 25 are T lymphocyte in origin. These subtypes of T-cell lymphomas have different biological behaviours and clinical prognosis. Clinically, T-cell lymphoma ranges from indolent (slow-growing) to aggressive (fast-growing and spreading) disease. According to the guideline booklet provided by the Lymphoma Research Foundation (https://lymphoma.org/aboutlymphoma/nhl/), indolent T-cell lymphoma subtypes include adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma (ATLL), cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), and mycosis fungoides (MF), while the aggressive subtypes include anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL), peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL), and T lymphoblastic lymphoma (TLBL). PTCL and ALCL represent the most common subtypes of aggressive T-cell lymphoma whereas TLBL is a rare and aggressive subtype mostly diagnosed in children. In this study, we will use single cell RNA sequencing and single cell multiomic methods three aggressive T-cell lymphoma subtypes (ALCL, PTCL and TLBL) and try to gain a deeper insight into the genotypic and phenotypic features of these T-cell lymphomas. . This dataset contains all the data available for this study on 2025-07-31.

  Dataset EGAD00001015669

• Targeted myeloid panel DNA-Sequencing Mutations Matrix Validation Cohort

  Profiling of co-mutations was done by targeted resequencing using the TruSight Myeloid assay (Illumina, Chesterford, UK) covering 54 genes recurrently mutated in AML: BCOR, BCORL1, CDKN2A, CEBPA, CUX1, DNMT3A, ETV6, EZH2, IKZF1, KDM6A, PHF6, RAD21, RUNX1, STAG2, ZRSR2, ABL1, ASXL1, ATRX, BRAF, CALR, CBL, CBLB, CBLC, CDKN2A, CSF3R, FBXW7, FLT3, GATA1, GATA2, GNAS, HRAS, IDH1, IDH2, JAK2, JAK3, KIT, KRAS, MLL, MPL, MYD88, NOTCH1, NPM1, NRAS, PDGFRA, PTEN, PTPN11, SETBP1, SF3B1, SMC1A, SMC3, SRSF2, TET2, TP53, U2AF1 and WT1. For each reaction, 50 ng of genomic DNA was used. Library preparation was done as recommended by the manufacturer (TruSight Myeloid Sequencing Panel Reference Guide 15054779 v02, Illumina). Samples were sequenced paired-end (150 bp PE) on NextSeq- (Illumina) or (300 bp PE) MiSeq-NGS platforms, with a median coverage of 3076 reads (range 824–30565). Sequence data alignment of demultiplexed FastQ files, variant calling and filtering was done using the Sequence Pilot software package (JSI medical systems GmbH, Ettenheim, Germany) with default settings and a 5% variant allele frequency (VAF) mutation calling cut-off. Human genome build HG19 was used as reference genome for mapping algorithms.

  Dataset EGAD00001008506

• RNAseq of whole blood in 359 idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension patients reveals biological heterogeneity

  Patients with idiopathic, heritable, or drug-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension (referred to throughout as PAH) were recruited from expert centers across the UK as part of the PAH Cohort study (www.ipahcohort.com). In each case, diagnosis was confirmed by right heart catheterization following established international guidelines, which remained unchanged for the duration of this study. Healthy volunteers were recruited at the same centers and samples processed using the same standard operating procedure at all sites. All individuals gave written, informed consent with local ethical committee approval. Whole blood (3 ml) was collected in Tempus Blood RNA Tubes, and RNAseq was performed using established Illumina methodologies (see online supplement for further details).

  Dataset EGAD00001007981

• Single cell RNAseq of PBMC from bladder cancer patients

  This dataset contains single cell RNA sequencing data of PBMC samples from 20 bladder cancer patients. cDNAs and single cell RNA libraries were prepared following manufacturer’s user guide (10x Genomics). Each library was sequenced in HiSeq4000 (Illumina) to achieve ~300 million reads following manufacturer’s sequencing specification.

  Dataset EGAD00001006182

• Spatially confined sub-tumor microenvironments in pancreatic cancer

  Intratumoral heterogeneity is a critical frontier in understanding how the tumor microenvironment (TME) propels malignant progression. Here, we deconvolute the human pancreatic TME through large-scale integration of histology-guided regional multiOMICs with clinical data and patient-derived preclinical models. We discover subTMEs, histologically definable tissue states anchored in fibroblast plasticity, with regional relationships to tumor immunity, subtypes, differentiation, and treatment response. Reactive subTMEs rich in complex but functionally coordinated fibroblast communities were immune-hot and inhabited by aggressive tumor cell phenotypes. The matrix-rich deserted subTMEs harbored less activated fibroblasts and tumor- suppressive features yet were markedly chemoprotective and enriched upon chemotherapy. SubTMEs originated in fibroblast differentiation trajectories and transitory states were notable both in single cell transcriptomics and in situ. The intratumoral co-occurrence of subTMEs produced patient-specific phenotypic and computationally predictable heterogeneity tightly linked to malignant biology. Therefore, heterogeneity within the plentiful, notorious pancreatic TME is not random but marks fundamental tissue organizational units.

  Dataset EGAD00001008155

• Subset of EGAS00001004662 WGS data (2 tumor/control pairs) which are used in EGAS00001004813 (Titel: Comprehensive Genomic and Transcriptomic Analysis of Rare Cancers for Guiding of Therapy (H021))

  Part of the published data from EGAS00001004662 resulted in the publication of this study EGAS00001004813

  Dataset EGAD00001008906

• RNA and ChIP Sequencing datasets from the study Kalirin-RAC controls nucleokinetic migration in ADRN-type neuroblastoma

  This dataset contains the RNA and ChIP Sequencing data from the study Kalirin-RAC controls nucleokinetic migration in ADRN-type neuroblastoma. The data is organized in 7 experiments which are divided by both sequencing technology or the application of siRNA or drug interventions (or lack thereof) on neuroblastoma cell lines. The experiment names and the file names have been chosen in each respective experiment to guide future users of the data to replicate the analyses in the manuscript.

  Dataset EGAD00001006964

• Ex vivo RNA-seq in moderate COVID-19 monocytes

  This dataset was used to compare gene expression profiles of ex vivo isolated classical CD14+ monocytes from patients with moderate COVID-19 to those of healthy individuals. Blood samples were taken from patients with moderate COVID-19 admitted to hospitals in London (Hammersmith Hospital, Charing Cross Hospital, Saint Mary’s Hospital) 3-14 days after disease onset and 0-2 days after hospitalization and positive PCR, and before study treatment initiation. Moderate patients displayed mild or moderate COVID-19 pneumonia, defined as grade 3 or 4 WHO severity. Samples were collected from March 2020 to February 2021. Healthy donors were Imperial College staff with no prior diagnosis of or recent symptoms consistent with COVID-19, and where possible, were matched in age and sex distribution with COVID-19 patients. None of the participants of this study were COVID-19 vaccinated. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated by Ficoll Hypaque (GE Healthcare) gradient centrifugation <4 hours after blood collection. CD14+ monocytes were isolated using a positive selection magnetic sorting kit (StemCell Technologies, UK) from total PBMC and stimulated with vehicle, UV-inactivated SARS-CoV-2 (CoV-2). RNA was isolated using the RNeasy Micro Plus Kit (QIAGEN) following the manufacturer’s guidelines. RNA-sequencing was performed by the Oxford Genomics Centre. PolyA-enriched strand- specific libraries were prepared using NEBNext Ultra II Directional RNA Library Prep Kits (Illumina). All samples were pooled together and 150bp PE reads were sequenced on a Novaseq 6000 system.

  Dataset EGAD00001009800

• IYDP Indonesian Y chromosome Diversity Project

  The IYDP dataset includes BAM files of 126 Y chromosomes extracted from whole genome sequences. These are from individuals from a broad range of Indonesian islands - communities close to mainland Asia through to New Guinea. The original whole genome sequencing libraries were prepared using TruSeq DNA PCR-Free and TruSeq Nano DNA HT kits depending on DNA quantity. 150 bp paired-end sequencing was performed on the Illumina HiSeq X sequencer. Individuals were sequenced to expected mean depth of 30x, with an achieved median depth of raw reads across samples of 43x.

  Dataset EGAD00001008573

• PYDP Papuan Y chromosome Diversity Panel

  The PYDP dataset includes 26 bam files of Y chromosome sequences for Papua New Guinean individuals from different locations, extracted from whole genome sequences. DNA was extrated from saliva samples (Oragen kit). Sequencing libraries were prepared using the TruSeq DNA PCR-Free HT kit. 150 bp paired-end sequencing was performed on the Illumina HiSeq X5 sequencer.

  Dataset EGAD00001008572

• Familial breast cancer targeted sequencing with ONT

  A large cohort of 600 cases with familial breast cancer as classified by the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM) Clinical Guidelines Update that were recruited during 6 years at Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer (Murcia, Spain) were retrospectively evaluated to select 16 cases with no positive finding in NGS analysis of 20 genes implicated in this disease. These 16 cases were selected for further investigation using nanopore sequencing. This method involved the use of adaptive sampling enrichment, targeting a panel of 18 human genome regions, which contained the 20 genes (PTEN, ATM, BRCA2, PALB2, CDH1, TP53, NF1, RAD51D, BRCA1, RAD51C ,BRIP1, STK11, CHEK2, EPCAM, MSH2, MSH6, BARD1, MLH1, PMS2, NBN). In 5 samples (P1, P2, P4, P15 and P16) no selection of long reads was performed. Additionally, in 3 samples (P7, P9 and P10), both procedures were performed in two independent runs, and for the second run of P7, the DNA was previously fragmented using g-TUBE Covaris® (ref 520079) according to the protocol for 6 kb fragments.

  Dataset EGAD00001011106

• ctDNA dataset

  ctDNA guiding adjuvant immunotherapy in urothelial carcinoma (Nature 2021). ABACUS ctDNA data used in 2021 paper: ctDNA data include TMB_(mut/Mb), cfDNA_extracted_ng, Plasma_Volume_Used_ml, Sample_Call, Sample_Number_Positive_Calls, Sample_Mean_VAF_In_Plasma (%), Sample_MTM_per_mL_In_Plasma across 40 patients in ABACUS.

  Dataset EGAD00001007579

• Clinical dataset (new)

  ctDNA guiding adjuvant immunotherapy in urothelial carcinoma (Nature 2021). ABACUS clinical data cut (2020) used in 2021 paper: Clinical data include PCR, RFS_months, RFS_event, and OUTCOME for 40 patients in ABACUS with ctDNA data.

  Dataset EGAD00001007578