Genomics for the diagnosis of rare diseases

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SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital

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The Genomics for the Diagnosis of Rare Diseases Group focuses on genomic tools and their potential for diagnosis, specifically in the context of neurological diseases, but also for other rare diseases of genetic origin. Since 2013, NGS technology has been introduced in our hospital for the detection of mutations that cause neurological pathology, and this experience has been extended to include the other specialties treated at our centre. Specifically, this technological knowledge, as well as knowledge in the field of neurological and other diseases, led to the creation of our research group, which developed from the Rett Syndrome Research Group. The RTT group at SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital has a history of more than 30 years of experience, from both the clinical and genetic standpoints, registering more than 500 cases of RTT patients with a confirmed clinical and genetic diagnosis.

We are part of the Consolidated Research Group in Paediatric Neurosciences - NeuroPed (SRG 2017-2019): 2017SGR 0108 and the CIBERER U-703 group.

Research lines

  1. Rett syndrome, genetic bases and molecular footprint (IP: Judith Armstrong)
  2. Application and management of genomics and big data techniques for diagnosis (IP: Delia Yubero and Judith Armstrong)

Scientific objectives

  1. Transformation of clinical diagnosis into molecular genetic diagnosis.
  2. Delopment of new multiomic analyses based on NGS technology that allow us to make an accurate genetic diagnosis.
  3. Study of the genetic landscape of rare pathologies, as genes involved in various neurological phenotypes may be related through genetic networks and similar functional pathways.

Area/Field of expertise

The RTT research line has focused on detecting patient mutations in disease-related genes as well as on finding new genes, improving detection techniques and locating new target tissues for molecular diagnosis. With the growth of the Healthcare Genomics Laboratory, multiple diagnostic techniques have been developed: NGS (WES, CES, transcriptomics), Sanger sequencing, MLPA, PCRq and others, in order to further develop various diagnostic tools and integrate them in the research and molecular diagnosis of neurodevelopmental diseases beyond the scope of RTT.

The introduction of NGS allows us to develop technologies and data analysis protocols to detect genomic variants that cause the patient's pathology: detection of variants from transcriptomics, development of analysis and detection of SNV variants and CNV from complete genomes, detection of variants using DNAseq-RNAseq binding, detection of variants in mtDNA, and detection of germ mosaicisms in patients and progenitors in neurological pathology.

Group members

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Projects

Project name:
Identificación de biomarcadores y dianas terapéuticas a través del análisis integrado de multiómica de la huella molecular del síndrome de Rett y trastornos del neurodesarrollo.
Leader
Judith Silvia Armstrong Morón
Funding entities:
Armstrong Morón, Judith Silvia, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Fundació Privada per a la Recerca i la Docència Sant Joan de Déu - FSJD
Code
PI23/00108
Starting - finishing date:
2024 - 2026
Project name:
Estudio de validación de dianas terapéuticas en muestra cerebral y sangre periférica de pacientes con síndrome de Rett
Leader
Judith Silvia Armstrong Morón
Funding entities:
Fundación Noelia. Niños Contra la Distrofia Muscular Congénita por Déficit de Colágeno VI, FUNDACIÓN ADEY
Code
PFNR0185
Starting - finishing date:
2023 - 2025
Project name:
Cómo dirige el gen MECP2 la expresión génica: varones Rett y varones con duplicación MECP2
Leader
Judith Silvia Armstrong Morón
Funding entities:
Associació Muevete por los que no pueden
Code
PCP00374
Starting - finishing date:
2023 - 2024
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Theses

  • Comprehensive analysis of diagnostic approaches and molecular landscape of Rett syndrome spectrum disorders
    Author
    Xiol Viñas, Clara
    Institution
    UNIVERSIDAD DE BARCELONA
    22/12/2023
  • Study of expression levels in MECP2 related disorders using transcriptomics and proteomics: characterizing Rett syndrome and MECP2 duplication syndrome.
    Author
    Pascual Alonso, Ainhoa
    Institution
    UNIVERSIDAD DE BARCELONA
    14/07/2023
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