Positive Bioscience launches Academy for training Oncologists in Genomics

Positive Bioscience launched Positive Academy for Training in Genomics and Clinical applications (ATGC), an initiative to help oncologists gain competency at using genomics in their practice. The initiative will be rolled out across the country in association with ICON and MOS (Molecular Oncology Society)

Positive ATGC will conduct regular workshops in Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Mumbai.Participants of the workshop will be awarded a certificate, which will be accepted as CME. The workshops will also be available online.

Positive ATGC workshops have been designed to enhance the education of clinical oncology professionals on the topics of cancer genomics, cancer risk assessment, and application of precision medicine in clinical practice.The workshops will include topics on technology and equipment, understanding and applying genomic report to clinical practice,as well as concept of pathways and its utility in clinical practice. Positive ATGC will also conduct six-month training programs on genomics for doctors. The training will be certified by a leading Medical University. Positive Academy for ATGC aims to reach out to over 200+ doctors by 2017

The Academy will publish periodic newsletters for updating Oncologists with the latest developments in genomic technology.

Says Dr Purvish M. Parikh, President of Molecular Oncology Society and Director of Precision Oncology at Asian Cancer Institute. “ The only way to optimise cure and treatment in cancer is by selecting the right drug at the very first instance. This requires proper understanding of the tumour as well as normal metabolism of the patient. These key aspects are identified only by in-depth genetic testing. Hence they have become the norm today's age of personalized medicine and precision oncology. In fact, we are quickly moving away from classifying cancer tumours based on organ of origin (e.g. breast or lung cancer) and now re looking at them based on driver mutations (changes in genetics that are causing the cell to become cancerous). For instance tumours that are caused by mutations in the "alk" gene will be called alkomas.”

Says Samarth Jain, Founder & CEO, Positive Biosciences “With the vast increase in knowledge stemming from genetics research and the development of new technologies in genomics, Genetics education and training of oncologists is critical for building capacities to understand, interpret, and appropriately apply such information. As the advancement of genetic technologies accelerates, so must the education and training efforts. This initiative is our contribution to enabling the integration of genomics into clinical practice, so that patients in India can benefit.