Genetic Engineering News (GEN) highlights the rapidly growing and important field of molecular diagnostics with four articles focused on the topic in the September 1 issue. The special coverage illustrates the impact that molecular diagnostics technologies are having on worldwide biotechnology and pharmaceutical R&D efforts, according to John Sterling, Editor-in-Chief of GEN (www.genengnews.com).

"Molecular diagnostics has already found a niche in infectious disease diagnosis," says Sterling. "Researchers are now working on applications in inherited genetic disorders, drug development, and personalized medicine."

The $2 billion molecular diagnostics market has an annual growth rate ranging from 15-20%. According to a report from Jain PharmaBiotech, the global molecular diagnostics market will expand to $12 billion by 2010 and $35 billion by 2015.

The Jain PharmaBiotech study goes on to note that a major portion of the expanding molecular diagnostics market can be attributed to advances in genomics and proteomics. The September 1 GEN molecular diagnostic articles, "Diagnostics in Gene and Protein Expression," Novel Diagnostics Help Target Therapies," "Myriad Options for Molecular Diagnostics," and an update on Qiagen's (www.qiagen.com) activities in molecular diagnostics, provide a concise overview of recent developments in the field.

"Since we cover so many technologies and other areas of interest to the biotech and pharmaceutical industries, it is kind of unusual for us to devote so many stories to a single topic," explains Sterling. "But through attendance at numerous conferences throughout the world and by talking to biotech thought leaders, scientists, and market analysts, GEN editors and reporters are convinced that the expanded molecular diagnostics coverage in this issue of GEN is well deserved because this is such a critical field that is only going to gain in significance in the not-too-distant future."

In addition to Qiagen, other companies covered in the GEN articles on molecular diagnostics include Abbott Molecular (NYSE:ABT), Actigenics, AdvanDx, Affymetrix (NASDAQ:AFFX), Beckman Coulter (NYSE:BEC), Becton Dickinson (NYSE:BDX), BioMerieux (OTC:BMXMF.PK), Bristol Myers (NYSE:BMY), Celera Genomics (NYSE:CRA), Cepheid (NASDAQ:CPHD), Chiron, Cytocore (OTC: BB:CYCR.OB), Decode Genetics (NASDAQ:DCGN), Digene (NASDAQ:DIGE), DxS, ExonHit Therapeutics, GE Healthcare (NYSE:GE), Gen-Probe (NASDAQ:GPRO), Genomic Health, Genzyme (NASDAQ:GENZ), Ibis Biosciences, Illumina, Imclone (NASDAQ:IMCL), Invitrogen (NASDAQ:IVGN), Luminex, Myriad Genetics (NASDAQ:MYGN), Novartis (NYSE:NVS), PerkinElmer (NYSE:PKI), Roche (NYSE:RHHBY), Third Wave, and Whatman (OTC:WTPLF.PK).

For a copy of the September 1 issue of GEN that includes the special features on molecular diagnostics call 914-740-2122, or email: ebicovny@liebertpub.com.

Genetic Engineering News (GEN), which is published 21 times a year by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., is the most widely read biotechnology news magazine worldwide. It includes articles on Drug Discovery, Bioprocessing, Omics, and Translational Medicine and covers applied research through commercialization and the business of biotechnology.