Turning science into healthcare
Genomics England aims to help everyone benefit from genomic healthcare.
Leadership Team
The Executive Leadership Team works alongside the Board of Directors to set and influence our strategic direction, while providing leadership both within the organisation and externally, as ambassadors and thought leaders.
Board
The Genomics England Board oversees all of our activities, ratifies all major decisions and sets the overall strategy for the organisation. Genomics England has several independent advisory committees that report to the board. These include the Ethics Advisory Committee, Science Advisory Committee, Data Advisory Committee, Access Review Committee, GeCIP Board and the Audit Committee.
Participant Panel
The Participant Panel sits at the heart of Genomics England and is made up of participants from the 100,000 Genomes Project, and parents or carers of people involved in this project. It is expanding to include patients and relatives from the GenOMICC COVID-19 study and NHS patients who give consent for their whole genome sequences and associated health data to be used for research in the Genomics England National Genomic Research Library.
The Panel acts as an advisory body to the Genomics England Board, working to ensure that the health data held by Genomics England is being looked after with respect and used in the best interests of our participants.
Science Advisory Committee
As a group of UK and international scientific experts, our Science Advisory Committee advises us on the development and delivery of Genomics England's research programmes.
This committee plays a key role in shaping our research-related policies, identifying research priorities and opportunities for research partnerships, in addition to steering the overall scientific direction of Genomics England. The committee considers the interests of patients, the public, scientists and clinicians engaged in genomic research or genomic medicine.
Ethics Advisory Committee
The Ethics Advisory Committee (EAC) provides independent ethical advice and oversight to Genomics England’s programmes, processes and partnerships. It advises the Genomics England Board on current and emerging ethics issues related to the activities of the organisation and the wider genomics ecosystem.
The expertise and experience of the members includes, but is not limited to:
- Participants
- Clinical Genetics/Genomics
- Bioethics
- Medical Law
- International/global ethics
- Data Ethics
The current focus of the committee is consent as a lifelong relationship, with a focus on transitions in life course including young people turning 16 and adults losing, or having fluctuating, capacity.
Access Review Committee
The Access Review Committee’s (ARC) role is to provide an independent examination and response to requests for access to genomic and health data held in the Genomics England National Genomic Research Library. These requests come from academic researchers, clinicians, and commercial researchers.
There is a set application process for these individuals to go through to access the data. The ARC reviews these applications to check that they are in line with the aims of the National Genomic Research Library Protocol and to assess whether they are in the interest of both the public and the participants.
Research Network Committee
The Research Network Committee oversees the operation of the Research Network and includes a range of representatives from across the Research Network communities. Three places on the Research Network Committee are reserved for the representatives of the Participant Panel and they contribute and vote as any other member of the Research Network Committee. The individual Participant Panel representatives are free to rotate attendance at the Research Network Committee according to their availability.
Research Network Community Leads
Our Research Network Community Leads spearhead, represent and advise the 8 cross-functional communities that make up our Research Network. Championing their respective community interests, the leads engage with Genomics England to identify strategic research and funding opportunities.
The Community Leads drive collaborations, skill-sharing and meaningful interactions between members of their communities, streamlining the way genomic research is carried out.