510K - Simpler version of FDA regulatory approval in the US.

Accuracy - The fraction of correctly predicted samples among all samples predicted.

Bioinformatics - Development and use of algorithms, computational and statistical techniques to manage and analyse biological data.

Biopsy - Tissue sample removed from a living organism for examination.

Cell - The fundamental structural building block in all living organisms. There are living organisms that consist of a single cell, and others such as humans that consist of several millions.

CE marking - Marketing approval in Europe.

Commercial agreements - Agreements with marketing/industrial partners that cover marketing of products and involve payments to the rights holder.

Commercial platforms - Instruments for the analysis of gene activity that are available in the market and do not require special adaptation.

FDA - Food and Drug Administration (USA).

FUGE - FUnctional GEnomics programme, research programme administered by the Norwegian Research Council.

Gene activity pattern - A pattern of activity from several genes, measured as the amount of mRNA produced by each of these genes.

Gene signature - A gene activity pattern characteristic for a specific disease.

Gene expression - A measure of how active various genes are. See also mRNA.

High density array - An array that contains a relatively large number of gene representatives - normally between a thousand and several tens of thousands. Whole genome arrays are typical examples of high density arrays. See also Microarray.

Informative genes - A gene is considered informative when its expression helps to classify samples to a disease condition or not.

IVD (in vitro diagnostics) - Identification of diseases using samples that are analysed outside the body, for example blood.

Laboratory market - Products that are not government approved, but can be used by laboratories for their own in-house research.

Low density array - An array that contains a relatively limited number of gene representatives - normally between ten and a couple of thousands. See also Microarray.

Microarray - A large number of probes representing genes and placed on a very small surface. A microarray is normally between 1-4 cm2 in size and contains between a couple of hundred and several tens of thousands of gene representatives. The probes on the microarray are normally a short oligonucleotide or a cDNA.

Molecular biology - The study of biological phenomena at a molecular level.

mRNA - (messenger RiboNucleic Acid) - A molecule formed upon transcription of a gene and carries information how a protein that is to be made in a cell shall look like. By measuring the quantity of mRNA it is possible to obtain a measure of a gene's activity or expression.

Multivariate analyses - Statistical analysis using more than one variable, for example analysis of a set of genes in contrast to a single marker (gene or protein).

Neurodegenerative diseases - Diseases characterised by degeneration of the nerves. Examples of neurodegenerative diseases include Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and dementia including Alzheimer's disease.

Patent protection - Patents granted and patent applications under consideration. Patents contain several claims that together and individually can protect the product being developed and represent an obstacle to competitors.

Platform suppliers - Producers of technological equipment for analysis of gene activity.

PMA (Pre Market Approval) - The strictest form of FDA governmental approval in the US.

Product design - Description of the characteristics the product will have.

Product candidates - Development projects/product prototypes that are intended for different market segments.

Protein - One of the most important components in all cells. Most proteins are enzymes. Each gene contains information from which proteins can be made and this information is transferred in the form of mRNA molecules to the machinery in the cells that make proteins.

Research product - Product that has not received government approval for clinical use, but which can be sold in the research market.

RNA (RiboNucleic Acid) - There are at least 4 different types of RNA in a cell - mRNA, rRNA, tRNA and snRNA. All have different functions within the cell but are made from the same RNA building block. The functions of mRNA, rRNA and tRNA are important in the machinery which makes proteins, whilst snRNA has an important gene regulating function.

Service laboratories - Laboratories that undertake assignments on commercial terms.

Trial design - Description of how a trial is set up and performed.

Whole genome array - A Microarray that contains gene representatives for most of the genes that is active in an organism, ranging for example from a plant or mouse to a human.