Biomarkers: Techniques, Methods and Applications

A biological marker or biomarker is an indicator of a biological condition. It is evaluated to examine pathogenic processes in the living system or observe normal biological processes or to understand the pharmacologic responses to a therapeutic intervention. Biomarkers are used in medicine to examine organ function or other aspects of human health or to determine a diagnosis of a disease state by testing for its presence or absence. A commonly used biomarker is prostate-specific antigen or PSA, which is used as an indicator of prostate cancer. Biomarkers are also used in personalized medicine for prognostic and predictive purposes. Prognostic biomarkers indicate patient outcome regardless of a specific treatment, while predictive biomarkers help to optimize treatments and increase the chances of benefitting from a therapy. This book unravels the recent studies in the field of biomarkers. It elucidates new techniques and applications of biological markers in a multidisciplinary manner. Coherent flow of topics, student-friendly language and extensive use of examples make this book an invaluable source of knowledge.