NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – A new clinical test that identifies disease-specific epigenetic signatures in DNA from blood samples promises to diagnose neurodevelopmental disorders that could not be solved by genetic testing and to replace targeted tests for imprinting disorders.

The genome-wide DNA methylation test was developed by a Canadian team led by Bekim Sadikovic at the London Health Sciences Centre. According to the researchers, it is the first test of its kind to become clinically available, though other groups are working on similar assays.