East Midlands partners are playing a leading role in developing the 100,000 Genomes Project, a major national initiative that aims to transform diagnosis and treatment for patients with cancer and rare diseases.

NHS England announced today (22 December) that the East of England has been designated as one of 11 Genomic Medicine Centres or GMCs (see 'Note to Editors').

The East of England project is led by Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, supported by the East Midlands Academic Health Science Network (EMAHSN), Eastern Academic Health Science Network, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

The GMCs have a track-record of providing excellence in genomic services and have been evaluated by NHS England to ensure they meet the requirements to deliver the project.

The GMCs will begin recruitment to the project from 2nd February 2015 and it is anticipated that there will be over 75,000 participants, who will include some patients with life threatening and debilitating disease. Eligible patients who are interested in getting involved will be referred to GMCs by their clinicians. After samples are collected, they will be sent securely to Illumina, a company procured by Genomics England to sequence the whole genomes and analyse them. Results will be sent back to the NHS for validation and clinical action.

Managing Director of the East Midlands Academic Health Science Network, Professor Rachel Munton, said: "This is fantastic news for the East Midlands in partnership with our colleagues in the Eastern Region, as it places our regions at the heart of world-leading research. It's also appropriate considering the East Midlands' track record in innovation, not least the development of DNA finger printing by the University of Leicester."

Sir John Chisholm, Executive Chair of Genomics England said: "The creation of the new NHS Genomic Medicine Centres will allow engagement and feedback to patients with rare disease, cancer and infection from the 100,000 Genomes Project and represent the beginning of building a lasting legacy of infrastructure enabling us to deliver world-leading healthcare in the NHS."

Professor Mark Caulfield, Chief Scientist at Genomics England added: "We have a clear goal of accelerating the findings from the programme back into mainstream healthcare at the fastest possible pace, meaning more rapid results for patients.

"For patients with rare diseases we hope to help with diagnoses, and for cancer patients we hope the programme will help to target medicines more appropriately."

Note to Editors

About the 100,000 Genomes Project

• Genomics England, with the consent of participants and the support of the public, is creating a lasting legacy for patients, the NHS and the UK economy through the sequencing of 100,000 genomes: the 100,000 Genomes Project

• Genomics England was set up by the Department of Health to deliver the 100,000 Genomes Project. Initially the focus will be on rare disease, cancer and infectious disease. The project is currently in its pilot phase and will be completed by the end of 2017

• Genomics England, with the consent of participants and the support of the public, is creating a lasting legacy for patients, the NHS and the UK economy, through the sequencing of 100,000 genomes

• Further background including a list of all the designated NHS GMCs

-ends-