£6m investment in genomic medicine

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People in Scotland with cancer and genetic diseases are to have their DNA mapped to better understand, diagnose and treat their conditions.

Scotland’s Chief Scientist Office has awarded £4m to The Scottish Genomes Partnership, with an additional £2m from the UK’s Medical Research Council. Led by the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, the Scottish Genome Partnership is Co-Chaired by Professor Tim Aitman, Chair of Molecular Pathology and Genetics, and Director of CGEM who said:

“This funding creates a unique opportunity to translate the investment of Scottish Universities into immediate healthcare benefits for Scottish patients. The remarkable advances in genome technology over the past five years will now be available to patients in the Scottish NHS, bringing a new dimension of healthcare to Scottish patients with cancer and inherited diseases. We look forward to working with our partners in the Scottish NHS, the Scottish Universities and Genomics England on this landmark project.”

The funding will allow scientists to decode and analyse the entire genetic make-up of more than 3000 people in Scotland. Linking this genetic data with clinical information will enable more precise molecular diagnoses for patients in the Scottish NHS, leading to more personalised treatment and selection of drug therapies. It will also bring new understanding of the causes of both rare and common diseases, opening the door to the development of new treatments.

An additional £3.5 million has been made available by Scottish Enterprise to support industry-led projects in the field of genomic medicine that will stimulate business opportunities.

Further details are available in the full press release from The Scottish Government.

More information on the Genomic Medicine Industrial Catalyst Fund can be found on the Scottish Enterprise website.