From: believer@telepath.com Subject: IP: DNA bank launched as science spending rises Date: Wed, 28 Oct 1998 11:35:31 -0600 To: believer@telepath.com Source: London Telegraph http://www.telegraph.co.uk:80/et?ac=000150689433551&rtmo=kokJeebp&atmo=99999 999&P4_FOLLOW_ON=/98/10/28/ndna28.html&pg=/et/98/10/28/ndna28.html DNA bank launched as science spending rises By Roger Highfield, Science Editor A NATIONAL collection of 100,000 human DNA samples is to be assembled so drugs can be customised and people at risk from allergies, drug side-effects and serious illnesses can be identified. The £12 million plan to study the genetic landscape of the British population, which includes funding to address ethical concerns, is part of a major shift in the emphasis of science spending announced by the Government yesterday. Funding for particle physics and astronomy remains almost level while there is a major boost for biotechnology and molecular biology, despite the rise in public concern about issues such as genetically-modified food. Announcing the science budget allocation, Peter Mandelson, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, said the overall 15 per cent increase by 2001/02 was "solid evidence" of Government efforts to reverse the recent decline in spending on science, which it sees as underpinning the economy. The rise was announced as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review. Mr Mandelson said the science budget "received the largest percentage increase compared with all departmental budgets". Yesterday's allocations saw Mr Mandelson increase funding of the Medical Research Council (MRC) and Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. The news comes only days after America's National Human Genome Research Institute announced that the three-billion "letter" human genetic code - the genome - will be deciphered by 2003, two years earlier than thought. Now Britain is preparing to rise to this "post-genome challenge" by studying how this code varies across the British population. The DNA database project will be backed by the MRC, which will see its support rise from £290 million in 1998/09 to £334 million in 2001/02, and is being developed by Prof David Porteous of the MRC Human Genetics Unit in Edinburgh, and Prof Nick Day of the MRC Biostatistics Unit in Cambridge. The first step will be to collate information on 60,000 blood samples that have already been collected, for instance in studies of inherited diseases, then extend the collection to people who have taken part in long-term health studies, some dating back more than half a century. Prof George Radda, MRC's chief executive, said: "In the first wave, we are talking of the order of 100,000 samples, then it will be extended." He emphasised that there were "major ethical concerns". By comparing the genetic blueprints of people who suffer disease, genes increasing the risk of illness can be identified, said Prof Porteous. He said: "This is the surest way of digging out the really significant genetic factors. They will be the basis of efforts to design new drugs and preventive measures." One ethical issue will be whether drug companies will be allowed to use the data to design drugs for a particular genetic group. The information will also help doctors advise those at risk of heart disease or cancer, or to identify those at risk of drug side-effects. © Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 1998. ----------------------- NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ----------------------- **************************************************** To subscribe or unsubscribe, email: majordomo@majordomo.pobox.com with the message: (un)subscribe ignition-point email@address or (un)subscribe ignition-point-digest email@address **************************************************** www.telepath.com/believer ****************************************************