Plans to expand the Wellcome Trust Genome Campus in Cambridgeshire, UK, have finally been given the go-ahead. The new laboratories will provide facilities for academic and industry scientists to use knowledge gained from the Human Genome Project in medical research. The site, based in Hinxton, is already home to the Sanger Institute, which provided a third of the data used to produce the first draft of the entire human genome sequence.
The new laboratories will recruit up to 200 scientists to carry out research on cancer, heart disease, obesity, diabetes and neurological diseases. Dr Mike Dexter, director of the Wellcome Trust, said that 'the Genome Campus has played a pivotal role in the Human Genome Project, and it is now time to move on to converting this basic information into knowledge that will underpin the further development of new medicines and therapies for decades to come'. The new development will include animal testing facilities and mainframe computers for analysing genetic data. 'This is about translating the raw data into, eventually, medical treatments', said Dr Allan Bradley, head of the Sanger Institute.
The Wellcome Trust originally applied for planning permission for the new development in 1997, but the application was turned down in 1999 following concerns over its impact on the local environment. The revised plans have been substantially scaled down, and no longer include a business park. However, the buildings will still include space for start-up biotech companies hoping to develop new treatments. Work on the extension will start this month, and is expected to be completed by 2007.
Sources and References
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Wellcome Trust wins fight to extend campus
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Plans to extend leading Genome campus get go-ahead
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Worldbeating genetics centre gets the go-ahead
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