NHS Genomic Medicine Centres announced for 100,000 Genomes Project
NHS England has announced eleven Genomic Medicine Centres that will lead the way in delivering the 100,000 Genomes Project. This marks the start of the main phase of the Project in 2015.
It is anticipated that there will be over 75,000 participants, which will include some patients with life threatening and debilitating disease. The GMCs will begin recruitment to the project from 2nd February 2015.
After samples are collected, they will be sent securely to Illumina, a company who have been procured by Genomics England to sequence the whole genomes and analyse them. Results will be sent back to the NHS for validation and clinical action.
The GMCs have a track-record of providing excellence in genomic services and have been evaluated by NHS England to ensure they meet the requirements to deliver the project.
Eligible patients who are interested in getting involved will be referred to GMCs by their clinicians.
The creation of the new NHS Genomic Medicine Centres will allow engagement and feedback to patients with rare disease, cancer and infection from the 100,000 Genomes Project and represent the beginning of building a lasting legacy of infrastructure enabling us to deliver world-leading healthcare in the NHS
Sir John Chisholm
Executive Chair of Genomics England
The creation of the new NHS Genomic Medicine Centres will play a key role in bringing together researchers, NHS clinicians and trainees to work as part of Genomic England’s Clinical Interpretation Partnership on whole genome data that has never been collected on this scale before. We have a clear goal of accelerating the findings from the programme back into mainstream healthcare at the fastest possible pace, meaning more rapid results for patients.
“For patients with rare diseases, we hope to help with diagnoses, for cancer patients we hope the programme will help to target medicines more appropriately and for infectious diseases it may help to generate new opportunities for therapies for these diseases
Professor Mark Caulfield
Chief Scientist at Genomics England
Designated Genomic Medicine Centres
NB: A further wave of GMCs will be procured to ensure that there is comprehensive coverage across the NHS in England.
• East of England NHS Genomic Medicine Centre:
Led by Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Greater Manchester NHS Genomic Medicine Centre:
Led by Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• West Midlands NHS Genomic Medicine Centre:
Led by University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
• North East & North Cumbria NHS Genomic Medicine Centre:
Led by Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• North Thames NHS Genomic Medicine Centre:
Led by Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• North West Coast NHS Genomic Medicine Centre:
Led by Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust
• Oxford NHS Genomic Medicine Centre:
Led by Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust (OUH)
• South London NHS Genomic Medicine Centre:
Led by Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
• South West NHS Genomic Medicine Centre:
Led by Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust
• Wessex NHS Genomic Medicine Centre:
Led by University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust
• West London NHS Genomic Medicine Centre:
Led by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust