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Philips, Illumina Collaboration to Offer Integrated Genomics Solutions for Oncology
Royal Philips, a global leader in health technology, and Illumina, Inc., the global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies, today announced a strategic collaboration that aims to integrate Illumina’s sequencing systems for large-scale analysis of genetic variation and function and Philips’ IntelliSpace Genomics clinical informatics platform, and to coordinate marketing and sales of the resulting solutions.
Philips and Illumina will also seek to engage in clinical research collaborations with health systems in the US that want to develop precision medicine programs in oncology.
Profiling tumors using genomic information is critical for complex cancer cases, and next-generation DNA sequencing – the process of rapidly profiling large sections of the genome in parallel to find mutations – is increasingly being used for this.
However, challenges remain in developing ways to rapidly and accurately interpret genomic findings in the context of a patient’s condition.
While cancer patients can have hundreds of gene variants in their tumors, only a small number may actually drive the individual’s specific cancer or may have actionable therapeutic implications for a particular patient.
The patient’s history, related lab tests and cancer type are needed for a meaningful interpretation of the genomic data.
Philips and Illumina will collaborate to provide new solutions aimed at the acquisition, analysis, annotation and interpretation of genomics data in oncology cases. The data will be acquired by Illumina’s BaseSpace® Sequence Hub connected to its instruments and will be processed through Philips’ IntelliSpace Genomics solution for oncology.
This solution will combine data from multiple sources — radiology, immunohistochemistry, digital pathology, medical records and lab tests — and will deliver a consolidated dashboard view. This system will support researchers to develop insights more efficiently and will ultimately support lowering the cost of health care delivery and improved health outcomes.
“The value of genomic information for personalized care, and for the treatment of patients with cancer in particular, is tremendous,” said Jeroen Tas, CEO of Connected Care and Health Informatics at Philips. “Until now the ability to use genomic data with the aim of having a precise diagnosis of cancer and improve treatment was mostly for the domain of academic centers. Through this collaboration we will unlock the value of genomics for a much wider group of laboratories and care providers to help them advance genomics initiatives at greater speed with the aim to offer precision medicine with better outcomes for their patients.”
“We believe that this collaboration will provide an excellent path for our next-generation sequencing systems to be incorporated into health systems in the U.S. and worldwide,” said Francis deSouza, President and CEO of Illumina. “One key strategy in our commitment to improving human health is connecting genomics to the everyday business of healthcare: based on integrated patient data, embedded into clinical pathways, supported by real-world evidence and reimbursement models.”
The two companies intend to collaborate on system integration, cohort analysis and health economics applications, and future research programs. Laboratories adopting the solution will be able to integrate sequencing data with information from multiple data sources (e.g., imaging, pathology and laboratory).
The Illumina-Philips solution will also give them ready access to advanced analytics, deep learning technologies and available reference literature, guidelines, and evidence in a single view.
IntelliSpace Genomics is powered by Philips HealthSuite, a secure, cloud-enabled ecosystem of systems, clinical applications and digital tools that gives access to advanced capabilities such as universal big data management, predictive analytics, artificial intelligence and Internet of Things (IoT) to support clinicians in first-time-right decision support.
This enables Philips IntelliSpace Genomics to deliver real-time, actionable information to physicians and specialists for therapy planning, across locations.
BaseSpace® Sequence Hub is a cloud-based platform that seamlessly extends Illumina instruments for the acquisition and analysis of genomic data, and managing sequencing runs and Illumina sequencing platforms to optimize operations. It enables the sharing of genomic data with a broad range of value-added Illumina and ecosystem analysis applications.
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News
Legit.ng, Shade of Life Foundation Partner to Advance Autism Awareness in Nigeria
Legit.ng recently joined forces with the Shade of Life Foundation to become a voice of autism, and drive advocacy for improved media support during Autism Awareness Month.
Conversations around media support exploration was led by Joseph Omotayo, head of Department for Human Interest Stories at Legit.ng, and Dr. Eziafakaku Nwokolo, founder and CEO of the Shade of Life Foundation,
This partnership is a response to the concerns raised by organizations like the Shade of Life Foundation about the level of support received from the media in discussing autism as a disability.
While other disabilities may receive attention, autism, with its critical developmental implications often lacks adequate representation in mainstream media.
Recognizing the importance of addressing these concerns, Legit.ng took proactive steps by integrating itself into the essence of autism awareness.
It facilitated a one-hour workshop with Dr. Nwokolo, the founder of the foundation, to deepen our understanding of autism, its various spectrums, and the language boundaries associated with it.
Other steps we took in advocating autism awareness in the media, can be seen in our attached press release.
Legit.ng believes that by amplifying the voices of autism and advocating for better media representation, we can contribute to creating a more inclusive and accepting society for all.
News
As Nigeria Struggle, Tanzania Turns off Power Plants Due to Excess Supply
While 85 per cent of Nigeria is in darkness, Tanzania, an African country has shut down five hydroelectric stations in a bid to reduce excess electricity in the national grid.
Kassim Majaliwa, prime minister, Tanzania, has said the main plant, Mwalimu Nyerere Hydroelectric Station, alone generated enough electricity to power major cities, including Dar es Salaam, the country’s commercial hub.
It is the first time Tanzania, which suffers chronic power shortages, has closed hydroelectric stations due to excess production.
“We have turned off all these stations because the demand is low and the electricity production is too much, we have no allocation now,” an official from state-run power company, Tanesco, said.
The 2,115MW Julius Nyerere Hydropower Dam is said to be almost filled with water following heavy rains that started early this year.
Meanwhile, while the country has an installed capacity of 1,938MW and the grid installed capacity of 1,899MW, Nigeria which has an installed capacity of 13,000MW is struggling to electrify 85 per cent of its electricity consumers.
News
President Tinubu Appoints Jim Ovia as Student Loan Fund Chairman
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Jim Ovia, renowned banker and businessman, as the Chairman, Board of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
Ovia’s appointment is contained in a State House statement titled, ‘President Tinubu appoints Jim Ovia as Chairman of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund,’ and issued on Friday by Ajuri Ngelale, special adviser to the President, Media & Publicity.
The statement noted that “Ovia is the founder of one of Nigeria’s leading banks and a respected business leader, with a surfeit of efforts and benefaction towards nurturing and empowering young Nigerians.
“He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Louisiana.”
The National Student Loan Programme is a pivotal intervention that seeks to guarantee sustainable higher education and functional skill development for all Nigerian students and youths.
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund, the implementing institution of this innovation, demands excellence and Nigerians of the finest professional ilk to guide and manage.
“The President believes Mr. Ovia will bring his immense wealth of experience and professional stature to this role to advance the all-important vision of ensuring that no Nigerian student suffers a capricious end to their pursuit of higher education over a lack of funds,” the statement partly read.
Ovia’s appointment will also ensure “that Nigerian youths, irrespective of who they are, have access to higher education and skills that will make them productive members of society and core contributors to the knowledge-based global economy of this century.”
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