Genetics research receives £53m boost

Studies on genetic links to health and disease have received a £53 million boost from the Medical Research Council (MRC).

The funds will support work at the MRC Human Genetics Unit at Edinburgh University for the next five years.

Scientists are using the latest technologies to study how genes work and to uncover the genetic basis of both rare and common diseases.

Experts are examining the entire genetic make-up of patients and their families to discover how variations in people’s DNA code can lead to diseases, including those that affect childhood development.

Researchers are also investigating how genes are switched on and off to reveal how these processes contribute to diseases such as cancer, brain and eye disorders.

Professor Wendy Bickmore, director of the MRC Human Genetics Unit at Edinburgh, said: “The scale and long-term nature of this funding from the MRC will enable our scientists to tackle the most challenging questions in human genetics.

“We are using the latest computational and experimental techniques to investigate how our genomes work to control the function of cells and tissues in people and populations.

“We will also be able to train the next generation of scientists to apply their expertise to improving health and the lives of patients and their families.”