2012 © Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland FIMM
Clinical informatics and image-based diagnostics
Mission
The Lundin Group studies and develops methods for personalized prediction of disease outcome and image based diagnostics
Background
Genetic and molecular information combined with clinical data by the use of advanced informatics support will help identify patients at risk for disease recurrence and tailor individualized treatment, particularly in cancer. The goal of our current studies is to promote implementation of new decision-support technology, as well as improve the flow of information from basic research to the clinic.
The group has developed an online risk calculator - “Prognomics” - for personalized prediction of cancer outcome. The risk calculator is an extension of our previously published “case-match” method (1) and is connected to a database with molecular, as well as clinical and outcome data on more than 5 million cases from 15 countries. Survival estimates can be retrieved for all major cancers and the extensive database allows for estimation of risk even in rare subgroups. The case-match approach is also used for explorative analysis of novel biomarkers and is linked to our image analysis system described below. In 2010 the case-match method was applied in studies of the biomarkers MDGI, NPM, Bmi-1, XOR and FOXA1 (2-4).
The other major research area is image based diagnostics, with special focus on microscopy images. In collaboration with the Machine Vision Group at the University of Oulu, we are exploring high-throughput computer assisted methods for automated analysis of digitized cancer tissue and microbiological samples. Methods for computerized quantification and segmentation of digitized tumour samples are applied in analysis of tissue microarrays in comprehensive series of breast, prostate and colorectal cancers (5).
The webmicroscopy developed by the group (fimm.webmicroscope.net) is a method of digitizing entire microscope specimens and viewing as well as processing the virtual slides through a web interface. The technology is implemented as a research infrastructure on a national level within Biocenter Finland and on an international level via the EU funded EATRIS. Applications of the technology include analysis and management of tissue microarrays, laboratory quality assurance, consultation and education. The webmicroscopy methods are especially useful for remote diagnostics within global health and a collaboration with Karolinska Institutet is ongoing for implementation of these methods in developing countries.
Group Members
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Selected Publications
- Lundin J, Lundin M, Isola J, Joensuu H. A web-based system for individualised survival estimation in breast cancer. BMJ 2003;326(7379):29.
- Joensuu H, Lehtimäki T, Holli K, Elomaa L, Turpeenniemi-Hujanen T, Kataja V, Anttila A, Lundin M, Isola J, Lundin J. Risk for distant recurrence of breast cancer detected by mammography screening or other methods. JAMA 2004;292:1064-73.
- Linder N, Martelin E, Lundin M, Louhimo J, Nordling S, Haglund C, Lundin J. Xanthine oxidoreductase - Clinical significance in colorectal cancer and in vitro expression of the protein in human colon cancer cells. Eur J Cancer 2009;45:648-55.
- Lundin M, Szymas J, Linder E, Beck H, de Wilde P,van Krieken H, Garcia Rojo M, Moreno I, Ariza A, Tuzlali S, Dervisoglu S, Helin H, Lehto VP, Lundin J. A European Network for Virtual Microscopy - Design, Implementation and Evaluation of Performance. Virchows Arch. 2009;454:421-9
- Konsti J, Lundin M, Joensuu H, Lehtimäki T, Sihto H, Holli K, Turpeenniemi-Hujanen T, Kataja V, Sailas L, Isola J, Lundin J. Development and evaluation of a virtual microscopy application for automated assessment of Ki-67 expression in breast cancer. BMC Clinical Pathology. In press.