Validation of markers for their relevance to health and disease

Validation of markers requires two different steps. The first one is the an alytical validation including analytical procedures, definition of standard reference, and round-tests analysis. The second one is the assessment of t he biological relevance of the selected marker. This biological relevance m ay be in the field of physiology to measure a physiological function, or in the area of pathology to measure a disease. Validation of markers is a tim e-consuming task that needs cooperation between laboratories. On the other hand a validated marker is a keystone for scientists to share their results and to explore more efficiently a given biological system.