UHB is the lead organisation for the West Midlands Genomic Medicine Centre (WM GMC), which is one of 13 centres that delivered NHS England’s pioneering 100,000 Genomes Project.

The project aimed to sequence 100,000 genomes (all the information in our DNA that makes us who we are) from around 70,000 people. NHS patients with certain cancers and patients with rare disease plus their families were eligible to take part.

The West Midlands Genomic Medicine Centre drew upon the region’s diverse population, with more than 14,000 of the 100,000 genomes provided from 16 participating acute NHS trusts (local delivery partners) within the region.

Although recruitment to the project has now ended, results are continuing to be returned to everyone who took part. Following on from the success of the project, a national genomic medicine service is now being established – transforming the way people are cared for. Patients may be offered a diagnosis where there wasn’t one before. In time, there is the potential of new and more effective treatments.

The project is also enabling new medical research. Combining genomic sequence data with medical records is a ground-breaking resource and will potentially lead to increased understanding of disease and its causes, with better diagnosis and treatment as a result.

For more information, contact the West Midlands Genomic Medicine Centre or visit the West Midlands Genomic Medicine Centre website.

Tel: 0121 371 4821
Tel: 0121 371 5360
Email: wmgmc@nhs.net