The University of Edinburgh has agreed a partnership with Beijing Geonomics Institute (BGI), one of the world's largest geonomics sequencing centres.
The university and BGI have agreed a memorandum of understanding to develop research with BGI which could lead to a new generation of personalised medical treatments.
Genomics is the study of genomes which are found in every living organism on the planet.
Genomes are made up of a nucleic acid, either Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or Ribonucleic acid (RNA), arranged in sections called chromosomes.
Comparing geonomes between individuals provides an insight into the individuals unique genetic make up, and the partnership will aim to enhance researchers’ scientific understanding of the building blocks with which people and other living organisms are made.
The partnership will lead to an expansion of genomics research in Edinburgh, including analysing hereditary information encoded in our DNA, which could help assess risks for particular diseases and help to develop personalised medicines.
Genomics also seen as an important development in the breeding of livestock with resistance to diseases.
Three genomics facilities in Edinburgh will work with BGI; the GenePool Genomics Facility in the School of Biological Sciences; ARK Genomics at The Roslin Institute and the Genetics Core at the Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility and the Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine.
Professor Mark Blaxter, director of the School of Biological Science's GenePool Facility at the University of Edinburgh, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity. Edinburgh is already a hotbed of expertise in genomics and DNA sequencing, and a partnership with BGI would allow us to expand our work into clinical research and, ultimately, personalised genomics.”
Professor David Porteous, director of the Genetics Core at the Edinburgh Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility and of Systems Medicine at the MRC / University of Edinburgh Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, added: “The timing is perfect.
“This opportunity will keep Edinburgh and Scotland at the very leading edge of all aspects of medical genomics, from rare forms of inherited disease through to major causes of ill health over the life course and in ageing.
“It will be a crucial bridge between our world leading academic research and the needs of the NHS.”
Ning Li, director of BGI Europe, said: “We appreciate this great opportunity to bring our extensive genomics experience in this collaboration.
“I believe we could make more scientific breakthroughs in human health, animal science and evolution as well as other innovative research fields.”