500,000 depositors of Biobank

Half a million Britons have donated DNA to a BiobankABC magazine based on BBC materials: DNA bank hits goal of enlisting half a million adults

The UK Biobank has achieved the original goal of its creation by registering a half-million DNA sample. 500 thousand adult volunteers underwent a medical examination, answered questions about their health and lifestyle, and also donated samples of their DNA, which will be stored for many decades.

The purpose of creating a gene bank is to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of diseases such as cancer, heart disease and dementia.

3 years ago, scientists began to invite adults aged 40 to 69 years to participate in the project. On average, one in 50 residents of England in this age range entered the number of persons registered in the Biobank.

The volunteers were measured blood pressure, pulse rate, height, weight, vision, physical condition, bone density and lung function. Additionally, blood, saliva and urine samples were taken from them. Scientists immediately explained to citizens that the purpose of data collection is the health, but not of current, but of future generations, and the results of studies of the obtained genetic data should be expected no earlier than in the next decade.

"We are the custodians of the collected data. The next generation of scientists, who may still be sitting at their desks, will conduct research that is still unknown to us and will be able to uncover the secrets of diseases beyond our control so far," explained one of the leading scientists of the project, Dr. Tim Sprosen.

Scientists guarantee complete confidentiality of information received from volunteers and tissue and DNA samples.

The creation of the UK Biobank was funded by the country's Ministry of Health, the Medical Research Council, the Scottish government and the Wellcome Trust charitable Foundation and cost a total of $98 million.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru12.07.2010