BIOARRAY tests were developed by combining information obtained by studying the biology of normal (non-cancerous) breast cells with information obtained by studying thousands of breast cancers.

BIOARRAY research on normal breast cells focuses on the cellular microenvironment. The breast tumor microenvironment can be studied using a culture system developed in the laboratory of BIOARRAY Advisor Mina Bissell, Ph.D., at Lawrence Berkeley Labs. This system consists of a laminin-rich medium in which breast cells form three dimensional structures that accurately recapitulate the normal spherical structures formed in the breast. Studies of gene expression in this model system give BIOARRAY a unique perspective on biomarker selection.

BIOARRAY has used mRNA biomarkers identified in studies of normal breast cells to develop its Chemotherapy Response Prediction Test. By using genome-wide gene expression studies from thousands of breast cancer patients, we have optimized combinations of biomarkers to identify the most effective treatment for an individual patient.

BIOARRAY tests will provide a patient and their doctor with the information they need to make informed and personalized decisions about chemotherapy treatment.