To study the impact of genes, lifestyle habits, and the environment on human health, the world’s largest human biobank was inaugurated at the UK Biobank on March 15. This biobank aims to collect DNA samples from 500,000 individuals along with other medical data.
The project for the biobank has been in the works for a long time. In April 2002, the UK government announced the introduction of this plan, but it is only now that the project is being implemented.
This biobank is expected to receive an investment of £61 million (around $100 million USD).
The funding comes from the Wellcome Trust, the largest medical research charity in the world, the UK government, and several other organizations, with support from over 20 universities participating in the research.
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Blood sampling for the biobank. |
Starting from March 15, scientists will collect blood and urine samples from the first group of volunteers, as well as personal data such as height, weight, and even their respiratory function.
In the coming decades, the health status of these volunteers will be continuously monitored.
Over the next 3-4 years, the project plans to gather medical data related to 500,000 male and female volunteers aged 45 to 69, with the total number of biological samples stored in this biobank expected to reach 10 million.
By 2012, among the 500,000 volunteers, there will be 3,000 breast cancer patients, 45,000 cardiovascular disease patients, and 6,000 diabetes patients. The first wave of volunteers has already reached 3,000 individuals.
The sampling rate of the biobank is about 1,000 samples per day. Blood and urine samples will be preserved for several decades at temperatures between -200 to -80°C. These two types of samples will be stored separately in a fully automated facility near Manchester.
Professor Rory Collins, who is in charge of this project, stated that in the future, scientists worldwide will be able to access the data and materials in the biobank after submitting a request for permission.
For many years, countless migrants have settled in the UK, making the genetic makeup of the British population more diverse than any other country. Therefore, the ideal place for establishing a biobank is indeed the UK.
In 2000, the successful mapping of the human genome paved the way for this project, which is considered one of the most important scientific experiments of the 21st century.
Some scientists express concerns about the implementation of such a large-scale project, but Collins emphasizes that the project has been thoroughly considered and researched before moving forward.
In medicine, the causes of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and others are very complex, involving factors that are genetic as well as those arising from lifestyle or environmental influences.
The biobank project will also aid scientists in understanding the mechanisms of disease development, exploring why the same medication may have different therapeutic effects on different patients, which could lead to improved methods of diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
Tuyết Nhung (Biotechnology Information and other sources)
