From Targeted Panels to Long-Read Genomes – Webcast Recap
Thank you to everyone who joined our recent webcast, “Comprehensive Cancer Variant Analysis in VarSeq: From Targeted Panels to Long Read Genomes,” presented by Darby Kammeraad and Julia Love on February 18th, 2026.
For those who missed it or need a recap, the webcast focused on why labs are turning to long-read sequencing for better structural variant and additional biomarker discovery. With expert-curated knowledgebases like Golden Helix CancerKB for clinical actionability and Genomenon CKB for literature-backed evidence, interpretation becomes faster, more consistent, and far less manual- no guideline hunting required.
Comprehensive Cancer Variant Analysis in VarSeq Webcast Highlights
A major focus of the session was the clinical value unlocked by long-read whole-genome sequencing, particularly for challenging variant classes such as structural variants, gene fusions, complex insertions and duplications, and DNA methylation. Long-read data enables more accurate resolution of breakpoints, phasing, and repetitive regions that are difficult or impossible to characterize with short reads alone. Through real-world cancer examples, including acute myeloid leukemia, the webcast demonstrated how long-read sequencing can reveal clinically defining events that directly influence prognosis and therapeutic decision-making.
The presenters emphasized that expanded variant detection must be paired with robust tertiary analysis to be clinically meaningful. VarSeq provides a unified framework for annotating, filtering, prioritizing, and interpreting somatic variants across sequencing modalities, while VSWarehouse automates and scales workflows from FASTQ through final report for thousands of samples. Together, these tools reduce analysis fragmentation, support growing sample volumes, and allow laboratories to adopt new sequencing technologies without disrupting existing pipelines.
Finally, the webcast underscored the importance of high-quality clinical knowledge in translating complex genomic findings into actionable insights. Golden Helix CancerKB and the integration with Genomenon CKB deliver continuously curated, guideline-aligned interpretations for somatic variants, copy number variants, fusions and emerging biomarkers where public databases often lack clinical context. By combining advanced alignment, variant calling, scalable automation, and comprehensive clinical evidence, the Golden Helix platform enables laboratories to move confidently from more data to better, faster clinical decisions.
If you missed the live session or would like to revisit any part of the discussion, the full webcast recording is available on demand here. For teams interested in exploring how VarSeq and the VSWarehouse platform can support somatic analysis across targeted panels, exomes, and long-read genomes, we invite you to connect with our technical and sales experts to schedule an evaluation or demo. Learn more about VarSeq and VSWarehouse here.
