http://www.thejournal.co.uk/north-east-analysis/analysis-news/newcastle-experts-set-deliver-world-leading-8327008
The government is committed to doing all we can to support the health and scientific sector to unlock the power of DNA, turning an important scientific breakthrough into something that will help deliver better tests, better drugs and above all better care for patients.
That’s why
we have invested £300 million in this project, which will see 11 Genomics
Medicines Centres opening across England in February 2015, allowing scientists
to decode 100,000 human genomes – a person’s DNA code. This research will help
scientists to better understand how cancer and rare diseases work.
The 3 year
landmark project is on a scale not seen anywhere else in the world and is
expected to provide a lifeline to thousands of families affected by rare
genetic diseases and cancers. The project has the potential to
transform the future of healthcare. It could improve the prediction and
prevention of disease, enable new and more precise diagnostic tests, and
allow personalisation of drugs and other treatments to specific genetic
variants.
Some participating patients will benefit because a
conclusive diagnosis can be reached for a rare and inherited disease more
quickly, or because a treatment for cancer can be targeted at the particular
genetic change that is present in the cancer. But for a number of patients, the
benefit will be in the improvement in our knowledge of the influence of
genetics on disease and how it is expressed in an individual, how other people
can be helped with similar diseases in the future, and how different types of
tests can be developed to detect changes beyond the genome.
The GMCs have a track-record of providing excellence in
genomic services and have been evaluated by NHS England to ensure they meet the
requirements to deliver the project.
It is anticipated that around 75,000 people will be
involved, which will include some patients with life threatening and
debilitating disease. Recruitment to the project will begin from 2nd February
2015.
After samples are collected, they will be sent securely to
Illumina who have been procured by Genomics England to sequence the whole
genome and to analyse it. Results will be sent back to the NHS for validation
and clinical action.
Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, NHS England’s National Medical
Director, said: “This is an achievable ambition which positions
Britain to unlock longstanding mysteries of disease on behalf of humankind.
Embracing genomics will position us at the forefront of science and make the
NHS the most scientifically advanced healthcare system in the world. This is
the start of a unique, exciting journey that will bring benefits for patients,
for the NHS and for society at large.”
Professor Sue Hill, the Chief Scientific Officer for England, who
chaired the team evaluating the various applicant GMCs said: “The NHS has risen
to both the challenge and opportunity of delivering its contribution to the
100,000 whole genomes project in the most extraordinary and unparalleled way.
Locally in the NHS, there has been clearly demonstrated engagement and
involvement of senior managers, clinical teams, clinical genetic and molecular
pathology laboratories and critically patients and the public, all committed to
using the science of whole genome sequencing to making a real and lasting
difference for patient benefit.”
Professor Mark Caulfield,
Chief Scientist at Genomics England, said: “The creation of
the new NHS Genomic Medicine Centres will play a key role in bringing together
researchers, NHS clinicians and trainees to work on whole genome data that
has never been collected on this scale before. We have a clear goal of
accelerating the findings from the programme back into mainstream healthcare at
the fastest possible pace, meaning more rapid results for patients."
