UK centres named in cancer-fighting DNA project
The government on Monday named 11 NHS centres that will lead a project to map 100,000 DNA code sequences in the fight against cancer and rare inherited diseases. More than 75,000 patients are expected to participate in the three-year scheme to collect and sequence the human genomes, including some with life-threatening and debilitating conditions. The genomes — complete sets of genes — will be collected and sent for sequencing by US company Illumina at their base in Cambridgeshire using technology invented by scientists at Cambridge University. Illumina will also invest about £162 million in the project over its lifetime.
