The facility will double the capacity of robotically automated cancer genomic testing.
To increase genomic testing capacity for cancer patients, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust has opened the UK’s first genomic testing facility at the Sharjah Clinical Genomics Laboratory in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Molecular Pathology Centre at The Royal Marsden.
The launch builds on a partnership announced in 2023 between The Royal Marsden and Automata Technologies to increase cancer genomic testing capacity through robotic automation.
Somatic testing identifies genetic changes in cancer cells that fuel tumor growth, providing targets for personalized cancer treatment.
The new facility will double genomic testing capacity while also expanding the range of tests that can be performed within existing lab space.
The sample pathways for saliva, tissue biopsy, blood and bone marrow are automated through Automata’s LINQ platform, a “smart” lab bench that uses robotics and digital technology to connect instruments.
The facility is equipped with six robotic arms to increase throughput in cancer testing labs without compromising accuracy.
This will not only enable the hospital to process more physical exams, but also launch new genetic tests – cancer germline tests – to identify genetic changes that increase cancer risk and identify appropriate treatments.
In particular, the facility will primarily test for mutations in the BRCA gene, which influences the risk of various cancers, including breast and ovarian cancer.
As well as improving patient outcomes, the facility will support genetics and cancer research, and provide laboratory technicians and scientists with more time for development work.
Michael Hughbank, Director of Clinical Genomics at the Royal Marsden Hospital and Professor of Translational Genomics at the Cancer Institute, said: “We are thrilled to be the first laboratory in the country to use this technology for genomic cancer testing and look forward to seeing further developments in the future.”
Mostafa El-Sayed, chief executive of Automata, said: “This collaboration is just the beginning of what automation can achieve across the NHS and healthcare more generally.”
