Abstract: A method or assay for determining whether an individual is a HNF1A-MODY carrier is described and comprising a step of assaying a biological sample from the individual to detect increased abundance of a micro RNA molecule selected from miR103, miR551b, or miR224, or detect decreased abundance of a micro RNA molecule selected from miR503, and miR539. Increased abundance of one or more of miR103, miR551b, or miR224 or decreased abundance of one or more of miR503 and miR539, indicates that the individual is a HNF1A-MODY carrier. A method for treating metabolic disorders, especially diabetes mellitus, is also described.

Abstract: The invention provides a computer-implemented method and system for predicting quantitatively whether an adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapeutic treatment will be or is being successful in treating an individual suffering from cancer.

Abstract: A method for predicting an individual's response to a treatment for cancer, the method comprising a step of assaying a biological sample from the individual to determine the abundance of a panel of two or more bio-markers comprising pro-apoptotic and/or anti-apoptotic biomarkers; inputting the abundance value for the two bio-markers into a computational model of a mitochondrial apoptosis pathway; and processing said abundance values using said computational model to provide a value to predict the individual's response to treatment.

Abstract: The invention is based on the finding that the human RPT4 protein/gene can function as a therapeutic target for solid tumour type cancers, especially solid tumours of the colon, and that reducing the abundance of RPT4 in tumour cells causes a significant increase in cancer cell death, and potently decreases the survival and proliferation of cancer cells in tumour growth assays (FIGS. 3 and 4). A further, but linked, aspect of the invention is based on the finding that inhibitors of RPT4 significantly decrease the viability of chemotherapeutic-resistant tumours, especially solid tumours, especially colorectal solid tumours (FIG. 5). A further, but linked, aspect is based on the finding that the efficacy of conventional chemotherapeutic therapy, for example 5-FU/oxaliplatin therapy, is significantly improved when combined with treatment with a RPT4 inhibitor (FIG. 6).