DIA-ChIP seeks to develop state-of-the-art molecular techniques for the routine high-throughput analysis of clinical samples for advanced molecular diagnosis and biomedical research. This will be achieved through a collaborative partnership between academic, SME and public health partners interacting through the IAPP, and the secondments and recruitments it supports. New molecular diagnostics in clinical pathology need to be robust, cost effective and offer significant advantages over existing techniques. With the move towards personalised medicine the specificity of diagnosis will need to be enhanced significantly, yet in the short to medium term will need to be compatible with current gold standards of analysis. In this project the focus will be on the most important cancer affecting the female European population – Breast Cancer. The ability to analyse archived clinical material is currently limited to immuno-histochemistry and quantification the native biomolecules (DNA, RNA, protein). The advent of functional characterisation of these molecules i.e. DNA-protein interactions and DNA status will provide information to enhance diagnostic histopathology. Application to archival material will provide access to a hugely valuable resource and will contribute significantly to scientific understanding of disease processes by allowing the examination of large patient cohorts, and by facilitating direct comparison to model systems. Also by examining patient samples in concert with model human cell culture systems, alternatives to animal model systems will be developed. DIA-ChIP features the creation of a strategic partnership between 4 groups that is critical in realising the project. The partners will develop strong long-term collaborative links for future research projects and intellectual exchange that will serve to strengthen each of the partners positions. The ultimate aim is to ensure long-term co-operation between all sectors -Business, Academic, Public Health