About

The combination of genetics with deep phenotyping and prospective follow-up holds an immense research potential. Technological developments have made it possible to generate genetic data at large scale. Strategic decisions of the UK governments have moved precision medicine to the top of the biomedical research agenda. The Our Future Health project was initiated to facilitate the use of genetics for risk prediction: NHS genomic medicine. It involves genotyping of 5 million samples from individuals with different medical conditions. Genomics England have announced large new initiatives including the Newborn Genomes and the Diverse Data Programme. In addition, UCL hosts many national cohort studies and is leading efforts to launch additional genotyped cohorts.  

The centre aims to empower human genomic research across UCL and become a national hub. The centre will foster synergies among the many groups at UCL working with genomic data across disciplines.

The centre proposes:

Seminar and Symposia 

To connect local researchers and reflect on the latest developments in the field, the centre proposes seminar series across themes and within each theme as well as for early career researchers. 

Collaboration, Training, Support  

In order to empower research in genomics and to train the next generation of scientists, the centre aims to provide and build expertise in statistical and computational genomics, connect interested groups across UCL and integrate applied researchers and clinicians at UCL-associated hospitals to ensure translation.

Diversity and Equality   

To date people of non-European descent are strongly underrepresented in genomic research. If this remains unaddressed, some of the clinical benefits will be exclusive to “white” people. Therefore, the focus of the centre would be to study ancestrally diverse samples and increasingly global populations. We provide unique leverage in terms of new data resources, such as PARKH and GH, as well as leadership in the field of diverse genomics. We will also foster greater diversity, equality and inclusion of academic and support staff working in this field. 

Outreach 

The collection of data on large numbers of individuals in the population and the implementation of genetics within clinical care requires a new model of exchange with the general public in order to incorporate people's views in decisions regarding the use of genetics as well as provide information about genomes and genetic data. We will establish a dedicated forum for this, include talks and debates as well as a web resource with information and discussions.