When the first draft of the human genetic code was unveiled nearly two years ago, it was hailed as the 'outstanding achievement of human history'. For eventually, it could lead to new ways of diagnosing and treating illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and Alzheimer's disease. But amidst all the excitement, scant media attention was paid to the crucial question of how all this might be achieved. In this week's BioNews we report on a proposed new study that aims to provide some of the answers. The UK Biobank project, which will study DNA samples and medical records from 500,000 people, has just secured initial funding of £45 million.
Scientists have known for many years that many common illnesses are caused by a complex interaction of genetic and other factors. The Biobank study (previously known as the slightly less snappy UK Population Biomedical Collection) will look for genetic differences associated with diseases in half a million volunteers, who will also provide details about their lifestyle.
The project is not without its limitations - all the volunteers will be aged between 45-69, despite growing evidence that many common health problems are related to non-genetic influences (such as diet) during childhood and in the womb. But it should still be possible to identify genes involved in disease, even if some of the actual causes remain elusive.
The project and its ethical framework have been a long time in the planning, contrary to claims by some that the decision to fund the project is premature. It has also attracted criticism from scientists who fear the ongoing study will divert money away from other areas of genetics research. But despite its potential problems, the Biobank project and other similar studies are vital if scientists are to reap the benefits of the Human Genome Project. Whilst this research may seem costly now, it should pave the way for more tailored, cost efficient healthcare in the future.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.