Fecal microbiome signatures for early detection of colorectal cancer in its precursor lesions.

• Grant number: 24/14952-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: March 01, 2025
• End date: February 28, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Human and Medical Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Rui Manuel Vieira Reis
• Grantee: Mariana Bisarro dos Reis
• Supervisor: Jeremy Wang
• Host Institution: Hospital do Câncer de Barretos. Fundação Pio XII (FP). Barretos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 21/13861-0 - Fecal microbiome profile as an early detection biomarker in Colorectal Cancer in liquid biopsy, BP.PD

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major global health burden, with high mortality rates due to late-stage diagnosis. Screening programs using fecal occult blood testing and colonoscopy aim to detect precursor lesions and CRC when curative treatment is feasible. However, these methods have limitations, including varying sensitivity and invasiveness. The gut microbiome has emerged as a potential non-invasive biomarker for early CRC detection. This project aims to assess the molecular and clinical impact of the intestinal microbiome and its role as a biomarker for the early detection of CRC and its precursor lesions. It will use a third generation of NGS, the MinION long reads technology, in residual stool samples preserved in a Fecal Occult Blood Analysis (FIT), and the sequencing data analysis will be done in collaboration with Dr. Jeremy Wang, an expert in microbiome sequencing and computational biology from the University of North Carolina for advanced data analysis. Fecal samples from participants of the Barretos CRC screening program who had positive FIT tests and underwent colonoscopy will be evaluated. We estimate to include 100 participants without lesions, and 100 with precursor lesions or cancer. The 16S rRNA gene of microbial DNA will be sequenced using the 16S Barcoding Kit for Nanopore sequencer MinION. Bioinformatics analyses include sequence quality control, taxonomic assignment, diversity metrics, and functional pathway exploration. We intend to identify microbiome signatures as early detection biomarkers of CRC in the Brazilian population. Integrating Nanopore sequencing technology and advanced bioinformatics promises novel insights into CRC pathogenesis, potentially advancing early diagnosis and improving patient outcomes.