Molecular Oncology Unit at Guy's Hospital

Laboratory overview

We are a national unit delivering both diagnostic services and internationally respected research and development to improve the understanding of cancers and assist in the efficient and successful treatment and outcome for patients with these diseases.

The unit is lead by Nicola Foot. We deliver a nationally and internationally renowned molecular diagnostics service for haematological and solid cancers. We have developed a number of new protocols for the diagnosis, assessment and monitoring of patients with various cancers.

Our customers are PRUH, QEH, Lewisham Hospital, Maidstone Hospital, London Oncology Clinic and London Bridge Hospital.

Key features:

• We are well known for the provision of advanced cancer molecular diagnostics  
• We are the national reference centre for the APML diagnostics and monitoring service for the UK AML trials.
• We have developed and validated a number of new advanced assays for cancer diagnostics (some of which reported in publications). Presently we are validating new cancer profiling panel for the diagnostics of solid cancers using next generation sequencing (NGS).
• We use PCR, RTQPCR, RQPCR high resolution melting, Cold-PCR, Fragment analysis and NGS. We perform over 4000 assay/annum, with over 95% delivered within the agreed TAT.
• We have particular expertise in acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APML), and provide molecular monitoring of residual disease in APML for the MRC clinical trials.
• We are involved with national and International organisations such as the European Leukaemia Net (LeukNet).