Genomics Mixer: Inside UCSC’s Colligan Lab
In the evolving frontier of precision medicine, one of the most urgent challenges is diagnosing and treating pediatric cancers and rare genetic disorders. These are diseases defined by scarcity—too few patients, too little data, and too few diagnostic tools focused on children. The Colligan Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory (“Colligan Lab”) at UC Santa Cruz, led by Dr. Olena Vaske, is changing that. Its mission is scientifically ambitious and deeply human: to ensure that no child’s illness is too rare to understand or too complex to treat.
Bridging the Research Gap
Dr. Vaske summarizes her lab’s mission clearly: “My lab develops novel diagnostic assays for children with cancer and genetic disease. We also analyze large cancer and rare disease cohorts to identify new biomarkers… Because pediatric cancers are rare, there is not enough pediatric-focused research. We fill this void.”
The Colligan Lab’s approach combines two pillars of genomic innovation:
Lab Manager Anouk van den Bout working on the sequencer at the Colligan Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory
Developing diagnostic assays that can be deployed clinically to guide real patient care.
Analyzing vast genomic datasets to uncover biomarkers that drive disease mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities.
In adult oncology, decades of data have mapped the genetic terrain. In pediatrics, that map remains mostly blank. By focusing on RNA expression outlier analysis, Vaske’s team is illuminating hidden patterns in the transcriptome—the layer of molecular activity that reveals what the genes are doing, not just what they are.
Their recent study, Comparative Analysis of RNA Expression in a Single Institution Cohort of Pediatric Cancer Patients, found clinically meaningful insights in 94 percent of cases; several led directly to beneficial treatments (PubMed 40119139). In another striking case, a four-year-old with myoepithelial carcinoma received a precision therapy guided by the lab’s RNA-based analysis—an approach that succeeded where DNA testing had failed (PubMed 40379813).
From Discovery to Diagnosis
The Colligan Lab’s translational power now extends beyond the research bench. With CLIA regulatory approval, the new Colligan Clinical Diagnostic Lab on the UCSC campus can perform patient testing. This represents a vital bridge between research and clinical care—transforming data into diagnoses and discoveries into real outcomes.
This progress is made possible through the visionary support of Bud and Rebecca Colligan, whose philanthropy established the lab and continues to sustain its mission. Their investment ensures that UCSC remains a hub where world-class science and community compassion meet.
A Local Impact with Global Reach
Santa Cruz County has one of the highest rates of pediatric cancer in California. For families here, the Colligan Lab’s work is not theoretical—it’s personal. Vaske’s motivation is shaped by the courage of those families: “I have been inspired by multiple patients and families, who not only fight for their child but also for all the children who come after.”
Join the Conversation — October 28
The Colligan Lab’s story continues at the Genomics Rooftop Mixer on October 28. The event gathers researchers, clinicians, and innovators under one sky—literally—to explore how genomic science can transform lives.
For anyone who believes in science as a force for healing, and collaboration as its catalyst, this is the place to be. Because when data meets determination—and community meets discovery—hope becomes something we can measure.
