Cancer Patients Join Ground-Breaking Disease Probing Genome Project

by Guest Thu Jan 21, 2016 9:38 am

Cancer patients have joined in the fight against rare diseases by signing up to the UK's ground-breaking 100,000 Genomes Project which could help scientists understand the root causes of these diseases. The project aims to map around 100,000 complete sets of DNA using around 70,000 NHS patients. It's the single largest project of its kind in the world. By studying the DNA of cancer patients the belief is that scientists will be better suited to create genomic medicine services for the NHS. Press Association reports that life sciences minister George Freeman, who announced the development at the Festival of Genomics taking place in London, said: "The recruitment of cancer patients is a significant milestone in the revolutionary 100,000 Genomes Project. "It will help to unlock our understanding of the causes of this devastating condition, make the UK a leader in genetic research, and provide better diagnosis and more targeted treatment for thousands of NHS patients across the UK." Patients are being recruited through 13 Genomic Medicine Centres (GMCS), specialist NHS sites selected across the country to deliver the project.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2016/01/21/cancer-patients-join-groundbreaking-disease-probing-genome-project_n_9037432.html?utm_hp_ref=uk