ToxicoGenomica Blog

Scientist looking at DNA

New Data Suggest Over-representation of Young Females in 108 Talc-Exposed Mesothelioma Cases Reported by Drs. Moline and Kradin – A Data Compilation

and | April 29, 2020

For talc/asbestos litigation, a notable development in 2020 was the publication of two case series articles involving a total of 108 persons who developed mesothelioma.  The authors concluded that all 108 persons could be characterized as having exposure to asbestos only through cosmetic talcum powder. The authors include Dr.  Jacqueline Moline and Dr. Richard Kradin, […]

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Genomic Evidence Essential to Asbestos and Talc Cases: Dr. Len van Zyl Presents at Perrin National Conference

| September 19, 2019

On September 9, Dr. Len van Zyl of ToxicoGenomica presented at Perrin Conferences’ National Asbestos Litigation Conference at the Fairmont San Francisco Hotel. The conference was greatly attended, and attendees were provided with key information on the trends that are currently driving asbestos litigation and the impact these trends may have on future cases. Dr. […]

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Perrin conference

The Application of Genomics in Asbestos and Talc Cases: Dr. Len van Zyl will be Speaking at the Perrin National Asbestos Litigation Conference

| August 14, 2019

On September 9-11, Dr. Len van Zyl of ToxicoGenomica will be speaking at Perrin Conferences’ National Asbestos Litigation Conference at the  Fairmont San Francisco Hotel, San Francisco, CA. This marks the tenth anniversary of the three-day conference which provides attendees with a deeper understanding of the trends currently driving asbestos litigation and the impact these […]

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mid atlantic conference

The Science & Medicine of Genetic Testing in Asbestos and Talc Cases

| July 22, 2019

As we have written over the past few years, expert testimony involving genetic findings is becoming more and more common in asbestos litigation. As we wrote previously, on Wednesday, July 17 (2019) Dr. Len van Zyl of ToxicoGenomica presented at the Perrin Mid-Atlantic Asbestos Conference where he discussed important new emerging science relevant to the […]

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conference

The Time for Genomic Analyses in Asbestos Cases is Now

| July 14, 2019

Expert testimony involving genetic findings is more and more common in asbestos litigation. Recent studies published in the peer-reviewed scientific literature have evaluated a variety of genetic factors (e.g., inherited genetic mutations, micro-RNA, gene expression profiles, and epigenetic factors) in people with and without asbestos exposure. Investigators have found evidence to support the fact that […]

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DNA

Why Do BAP1 Mutations Cause Mesothelioma?

and | May 6, 2019

Mechanistic understanding of cancers continues to accelerate, with important implications for tort litigation. A recent new study by He et al. (2019) provides new insights into how and why germline BAP1 mutations are involved in the development of some cancers, such as mesothelioma, but not others. The new insights are about tissue specific actions of […]

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DNA

Signature Mutations Might be the Best Alternative Cause Defense You Never Heard Of

and | April 3, 2019

An important feature that has emerged from this new genomic knowledge is known as “signature mutations.” In short, specific exposures cause specific patterns of mutations to occur in tumors. These mutation patterns within the cancer tissue therefore serve as a clear marker for that specific exposure (hence the term “signature mutation”).

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Looking Forward to the Incredible Scale and Pace of Genomics in the Near Future

| March 11, 2019

We work with genomics every day, but sometimes it’s difficult to convey  the scale and pace of the gathering and analysis of genomic data. That said, graphics can help, as shown below. The graphic clearly shows the decline in cost and the associated consumer adoption of genetic techniques in the near future. The publisher of […]

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Overview of Rare Disease Registries and U.S. Cancer Registries

and | February 20, 2019

Our post yesterday explained work in progress to create a national mesothelioma patient registry. That development should be viewed in the broader context of rare disease registries in general. On that topic, an open access article is Lacaze P,  et al, Rare disease registries: a call to action. Intern Med J. 2017 Sep;47(9):1075-1079. The article […]

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