16 December 2015
The Yorkshire and Humber region will be playing a key role in the development of personalised medicine through the establishment of a new NHS Genomic Medicine Centre (GMC).
NHS England has announced that our region has been given approval to set up the centre as part of the national 100,000 Genome Project.
The groundbreaking project involves looking at the genomes of patients with certain rare diseases and patients with certain cancers. By comparing the genomes from lots of people, the NHS Genomic Medicine Centre (NHS GMC) will help to give a better understanding of the diseases, how they develop and which treatments may provide the greatest help to future patients.
The successful bid for the Yorkshire and Humber NHS GMC was led by Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. It was supported by the other 11 acute trusts in the region along with the Yorkshire & Humber Academic Health Science Network and our major Universities. It was also supported by direct input from patients and the public, which places the people off Yorkshire and Humber at the heart of crucial developments and improvements in healthcare.
Andrew Cash, Chief Executive of Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This is fantastic news for our region and we are proud to be involved in the project to transform healthcare not only in our region, but to lead some fantastic developments internationally.
“We are already home to some of the world’s most advanced genetics services and have teams of world renowned experts leading clinical and academic research into understanding how DNA can not only predict and prevent disease but provide accurate diagnosis and treatment of conditions not only now but in the future.”
A selection of patients with certain rare diseases or cancers will be invited to join the project. People have full control over whether they take part in the project and will be given all the information they need to give informed consent
As many rare diseases are inherited, for rare disease patients researchers will also be analysing the genomes of two of their closest blood relatives. These relatives will be taken through the same consent process and can choose to opt out if they prefer.
Clinicians involved in the patient's care will have access to the information to aid diagnosis and treatment. Any data used for research purposes will be de-identified and securely stored.
Dr David Black, Medical Director for NHS England in Yorkshire and the Humber said: “The opening of a new world-class NHS Genomic Medicine Centre here in Yorkshire and the Humber means the region will play an integral part in transforming prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases that are caused by genetic abnormalities or have an important genetic component. These include cancer and many inherited genetic disorders some of which are common, but others very rare.
“The work at the centre could help improve the prediction and prevention of disease, allow more precise diagnostic tests to be developed, and enable personalisation of drugs and other treatments. These advances are at the forefront of health technology and may improve both the outcomes and experience of treatment for many patients in the future.”
The new centre is expected to go live during January 2016.
Delivery partners include: