Analysis of ~800 cancer lines using the Affymetrix SNP6 array

The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute announced today the release of a new dataset cataloguing the structural genomic changes in almost 800 cancer cell lines. Data were obtained using the 'Affymetrix SNP6.0 Whole Genome Array' which contains probes designed to approximately 1.8 million genomic loci. Data analysis and segmentation was performed using a bespoke algorithm (PICNIC) which uses a Bayesian hidden Markov model to rescale the segmented data to the underlying integer copy number.

As part of the ongoing study within this series of cancer cell lines, mutations in more than 60 known cancer genes are being characterised, with all data being made publicly available on the Cancer Cell Line Project website. The data currently released provides an insight into the genomic alterations that have occurred within these samples as they progress towards cancer.

Already, the combination of these different datasets makes this the best characterised series of cancer samples available to the research community, and this will be further enhanced as the project continues, adding to the utility of this resource.

The data and viewing tools are available at:
http://www.sanger.ac.uk/genetics/CGP/cghviewer.