caBIG^® and Molecular Medicine

Recent advances in life sciences, coupled with the development of advanced technologies, have led to a new era of understanding of human disease, including cancer. Starting with the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003, and followed by studies in genomics, proteomics, and systems biology, scientists have begun to identify and classify disease at the fundamental level of the molecule – hence, the term "molecular medicine."

The potential of molecular or "personalized" medicine is deep and far-reaching. It may enable:

• Early identification of disease-causing genes, permitting early interventions that could delay or prevent altogether the onset of clinical symptoms
• Sub-grouping of diseases by genetic biomarkers to reveal the likely progression of those diseases and the expected responses to certain types of therapy
• Real-time monitoring of patient response to certain therapies, avoiding futile treatments and unnecessary side effects to achieve the optimum outcome for patients

To fulfill the promise of molecular medicine, a new kind of scientific and technology "ecosystem" is required. Such an ecosystem is characterized by "team science" – that is, efforts that work across multiple laboratories and share data in standardized formats; collaborations among academic, private, and public sector organizations; and high-throughput technology platforms supported by seamless informatics capability. To foster this new way of working within the cancer research community, the NCI has launched the caBIG^® initiative.

Information technology that facilitates the collection, analysis, and dissemination of huge amounts of molecular and clinical data is essential to the advancement and increased adoption of molecular medicine.