Molecular Diagnostics are performed in the Lab of Molecular Pathology of the Unit Molecular and ImmunoPathology (MIP). Molecular Biological techniques are performed on about 10-15% of all tissues handed in for diagnostics. The analyses performed are detection of viruses (a.o Human Papilloma Virus), mutation (K-ras, EGFR, P53, B-raf, c-KIT and PDGF) and translocation analysis in various types of tumors, analysis of chromosomal aberrations (Her-2 and MDM-2 amplifications, loss of 1p19q and MGMT methylation), microsatellite instabilities in tumors, and clonal analysis in T- or B-cel malignancies.
Microsattellite analysis for the detection of chimerism is performed on blood samples after bone marrow/ stem cell transplantation and similar techniques are applied for tissue identification.
The techniques are used to identify viral infections, hereditary chromosomal aberrations, and minor or major changes in DNA or RNA of tumors. The latter can be important to determine the grade of malignancy or origin of tumors, heredity of tumors, or determine the expected efficacy of new clinical treatments. Molecular Pathology is always performed in combination with the diagnostic histopathology.
Techniques used for this analysis are polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and various techniques based on PCR (like qPCR, High Resolution Melting and MLPA), DNA sequencing analysis, reverse dot-blotting and in situ hybridisation (FISH and CISH).
Figure 1 Lab Molecular Pathology 2010
Ltr: Petra van der Weide, Roel de Weger, Joyce van Loon, Remco Radersma, John Hinrichs, Marja van Blokland, Ana Freixo, Erwin van der Biezen, Liane Guedes, Michiel Moons, Maartje Geerlings and Erika Endrodi
Lab Molecular Pathology
Molecular Pathologists/Biologists
Dr. Roel de Weger
Dr. John Hinrichs
Technicians Molecular Pathology
Marja van Blokland, chief technician
Joyce van Loon, deputy
Petra van der Weide, chief Central Sequence Facility
Erwin van der Biezen
Erika Endrodi
Ana Freixo
Liane Guedes
Michiel Moons
Remco Radersma
Maartje Geerlings, trainee