It made its first splash on a quiz show. Now it may wind up having a hand in shaping how labs create new molecular tests. Watson, the IBM-designed and -manufactured supercomputer that first made headlines three years ago when it crushed legendary past winners on the show Jeopardy will now participate in the advancement of genomic medicine. A version of Watson designed to undertake genomic research will work with the New York Genome Center (NYGC) to focus on bringing new treatments to patients. The collaboration’s initial focus will be on glioblastoma, a particularly aggressive form of brain cancer that is usually fatal within 15 months even with standard treatments and kills about 13,000 in the United States each year. The supercomputer will analyze specific genetic data in conjunction with biomedical literature and drug and treatment databases to determine potential new courses of care, which might include new combinations of drugs and other treatments. “Since the human genome was first mapped more than a decade ago, we’ve made tremendous progress in understanding the genetic drivers of disease. The real challenge before us is how to make sense of massive quantities of genetic data and translate that information into better treatments for […]
It made its first splash on a quiz show. Now it may wind up having a hand in shaping how labs create new molecular tests.
Watson, the IBM-designed and -manufactured supercomputer that first made headlines three years ago when it crushed legendary past winners on the show Jeopardy will now participate in the advancement of genomic medicine.
A version of Watson designed to undertake genomic research will work with the New York Genome Center (NYGC) to focus on bringing new treatments to patients.
The collaboration’s initial focus will be on glioblastoma, a particularly aggressive form of brain cancer that is usually fatal within 15 months even with standard treatments and kills about 13,000 in the United States each year. The supercomputer will analyze specific genetic data in conjunction with biomedical literature and drug and treatment databases to determine potential new courses of care, which might include new combinations of drugs and other treatments.
“Since the human genome was first mapped more than a decade ago, we’ve made tremendous progress in understanding the genetic drivers of disease. The real challenge before us is how to make sense of massive quantities of genetic data and translate that information into better treatments for patients,” said Robert Darnell, NYGC’s president and scientific director, in a statement.
The research provided by Watson could be used to create specific molecular laboratory tests as well. Most in the oncology realm are designed to match treatment regimens to the genetic makeup of tumors found in a patient’s body. Molecular assays that focus on personalized medicine issues are among the fastest-growing segments in the laboratory sector. NYGC is also one of the founding members of the GeneInsight Network, which was convened last year by Illumina and Partners HealthCare to share genomic data and help develop relevant tests.
However, it is unknown to what extent the Watson research will be provided to labs and other members of the health care provider community to develop new tests and treatments. Officials with both NYGC and IBM did not answer questions submitted by Laboratory Industry Report or provide officials to interview.
An independent, nonprofit research facility, NYGC is a relatively new player in genetic research. Supported by a variety of hospitals in New York state, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Jackson Laboratory, and the American Museum of Natural History, among others, it opened a 170,000-square-foot sequencing and biometrics research center in Manhattan in mid-2013.
Takeaway: A collaboration between IBM and the New York Genome Center could eventually provide a boost to molecular tests focused on personalized medicine.
