A Novel HPV Genome Amplification and Detection Technology for Cervical Cancer Screening for Low and Middle-Income Countries

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Wednesday, February 19, 2020, 7:30 PM
     There is no charge for attending the SCV EMBS chapter meetings

Location: Room M-114 of the Alway Bldg., Stanford University School of Medicine (see campus map at link below).

Parking is free after 4 PM at Roth Way Garage, located at the corner of Roth Way and Campus Drive.  The Stanford Hospital Cafeteria is across Campus Drive from Roth Way Garage.  The meeting is in Room M-114 of the Alway Building, which is also across Campus Drive from Roth Way Garage.

Speaker:  Youxiang Wang, Ph.D.,  CEO, Atila BioSystems

A Novel HPV Genome Amplification and Detection Technology for Cervical Cancer Screening for Low and Middle-Income Countries

Abstract: Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection causes 70% of oropharyngeal cancers in the United States. Cervical cancer, also caused by HPV, is one of the most prevalent cancers affecting women worldwide with an estimated annual incidence of 528,000 cases and 266,000 related deaths. Now 80%-85% of cervical cancer occurs in women living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where PAP screening has never been successfully implemented. There is no common cancer other than cervical cancer with a greater disparity of societal impact between LMICs and high-income countries, because it is the cancer causing the greatest number of deaths among young women (<50 years) in LMICs when they are raising families and working.

Early HPV screening and prevention of precancerous lesions is known to be highly effective in reducing the mortality rate of cervical cancer. Atila Biosystems, a Silicon Valley company, developed the simplest and fastest HPV screen and genotyping technology called AmpFire to detect 15 high risk HPV genotypes.  The AmpFire’s key differentiator is its ability to detect HPV directly from raw samples, such as dry brush samples, without any additional sample processing and even from oropharyngeal cancer FFPE samples. Simple sample process enables any lab technician to perform the testing with minimal training. Time from sample to result takes roughly an hour, which is perfectly suited for Low- and Middle-Income Countries to be a point-of-care HPV test.  Dry brush transport can be used with self-collected vaginal samples that become an essential addition to population based cervical cancer screening programs for LMIC. The same technology can also be used to detect all 4 STI pathogens (CT/NG/TV/MG) in a single reaction.  One patient sample can be used for both AmpFire HPV assays and 4 STI assays.

Bio:  Dr. Youxiang Wang, the founder and CEO of Atila BioSystems, and a veteran in the genomic field, invented a novel 3N technology that fundamentally differs from PCR technology invented 40 years ago. This powerful 3N technology has dramatically broadened PCR applications in precision medicine fields such as NIPT detection by digital PCR, simplified NGS library preparation, multiplex liquid biopsy cancer mutation detection by ddPCR, and women’s health issues, such as HPV, STI, etc.  Previous to Atila, he worked in numerous companies in Silicon Valley, including Molecular Dynamics (acquired by GE), Aclara Biosystems (acquired by Labcor), Turner BioSystems (acquired by Promega). He was also the founder and CEO of Full Moon BioSystems.  He was trained as a Ph.D. organic chemist, but started to work on the human genome sequencing project at UC Berkeley 20 years ago with Professor Richard Mathies and Alex Glazer, where the group made major contributions to improve human genome sequencing technology in both chemistry and equipment.
Optional dinner and networking:
Stanford Hospital cafeteria, 6:15 – 7:15 PM (no host, no reservations, self-serve)
An opportunity to meet the speaker and network with others attending the meeting

The Stanford campus map is at:  https://campus-map.stanford.edu/

Event Information

Event Topic:
A Novel HPV Genome Amplification and Detection Technology for Cervical Cancer Screening for Low and Middle-Income Countries

Event Description:

Date/Time:
Date(s) - 02/19/20
7:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Event Location:
Other: Room M-114 of the Alway Bldg., Stanford University School of Medicine

Event Details

Event Type