Liquid biopsies for early cancer detection: Current and future trends
Wednesday, July 9, at 16:00 BST | 17:00 CEST | 11:00 EDT | 8:00 PDT
Early cancer detection remains one of the biggest challenges in oncology, with many cancers going undetected until later stages when treatment options are more limited. Advances in multi-cancer early detection (MCED) aim to address this by identifying multiple cancer types through a single test, often using a simple blood draw.
This has been made possible by the rise of liquid biopsies, which offer a less invasive, faster alternative to traditional tissue biopsies. However, the accuracy and reliability of these tests hinge on one critical factor: sample stability. The choice of blood collection tube plays a vital role in preserving analytes and ensuring high-quality, reproducible results. As the field evolves, combining multiomics with robust pre-analytical practices is key to unlocking the full potential of liquid biopsy technologies.
Join us for this panel discussion – held in partnership with Streck – exploring the future of early cancer detection and the science behind better liquid biopsies. As part of our Accelerating Science feature, this session brings together leading experts to dive deep into the evolving landscape of cancer detection and the pivotal technologies delivering reliable diagnostic outcomes.
Meet our experts:
- Dr. Tina Clark Dur, Vice President of Epidemiology and Distinguished Scientist at GRAIL
- Dr. Gary Pestano, Chief Development Officer at Biodesix
- Kevin Billings, Director of Business Segment – Stabilization at Streck
Key learning objectives:
- Gain insights into cutting-edge advancements in multicancer early detection assay development, including strategies for improving sensitivity and specificity.
- Understand best practices for assay distribution, with a focus on ensuring accessibility and minimizing logistical challenges.
- Learn pre-analytical techniques to streamline workflows and maximize scalability in multicancer early detection testing.
- Acquire knowledge on how to collaborate effectively with key opinion leaders to drive innovation and optimize implementation of MCED assays.
Whether you're a researcher, clinician or healthcare innovator, this session is your opportunity to hear directly from the pioneers pushing the boundaries of what's possible in cancer detection.
Speakers
Christina Clarke Dur, Ph.D., is Vice President, Epidemiology and a Distinguished Scientist at GRAIL. Tina has dedicated her professional life to reducing the burden of cancer through prevention, early detection and population health approaches. Before coming to GRAIL eight years ago, she was a principal investigator co-leading the SEER cancer registry in the San Francisco Bay Area and researching the epidemiology of breast cancer, melanoma and lymphoma at the Cancer Prevention Institute of California and the Stanford Cancer Institute. Tina holds a BS in biology from Duke University, an MPH in Epidemiology from Tulane University and a Ph.D. in Epidemiology from the University of California, Berkeley.
Gary Pestano, Ph.D. is a development leader in assays and products of high complexity molecular diagnostics in oncology and virology, including genomic and proteomic technologies. In addition to serving as the Chief Development Officer and the head of R&D at Biodesix, Gary is the NYS Laboratory Director of the company’s CLEP | CLIA | ISO13485-certified laboratory in Colorado. Dr. Pestano received his Ph.D. training in Cell and Molecular Biology at The Graduate Center, City University of New York and conducted his post-doctoral training in cancer immunology at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School. Dr. Pestano holds advanced training certificates from Harvard Business School, MIT, and the University of London.
Kevin Billings has spent the past 26 years of his career at Streck, where he has played a pivotal role in shaping the growth of Streck's line of blood collection tubes. By forging strong partnerships with industry leaders, Kevin has helped establish Streck as a trusted resource for sample preservation. In his current role, Kevin facilitates the expansion of Streck's sample preservation solutions to meet the needs of the evolving liquid biopsy landscape. His extensive experience, passion for advancing health care and steadfast belief that sample preservation enables to positive patient outcomes make him a trusted professional in the field and a valued member of Streck's team.
Moderator
