Last week, we were delighted to launch the new Functional Genomics Screening Laboratory (FGSL) here at the Milner Therapeutics Institute in Cambridge, UK. The new lab will support world-class research and innovation in the rapidly advancing field of functional genomics, which explores links between genes and disease.
Key representatives from the three FGSL partners – the Medical Research Council (MRC), AstraZeneca and the University of Cambridge – gathered for a ribbon-cutting and launch reception to mark the official opening of this highly anticipated facility.
Delegates enjoyed speeches from our Director Sir Tony Kouzarides, Senior Vice President of Discovery Sciences at AstraZeneca Steve Rees OBE, and Executive Chair of the Medical Research Council Professor Patrick Chinnery. Their remarks gave insights into the background of the FGSL, the benefits of cross-sector collaboration and how this initiative fits with the vision and ambitions of each partner.
The FGSL is part of the UK Human Functional Genomics Initiative, contributing to the UK’s ambition of having the most advanced genomic healthcare system in the world. The robotics and other equipment present in the new laboratory are state-of-the-art for arrayed CRISPR screening, enabling screens to be offered from 10s to 100s of genes through to whole genome.
It will be the first centre to offer arrayed CRISPR screening on this scale for chronic disease through collaborations with researchers from across the UK. This will enable more laboratories to identify novel targets for drug discovery across a range of diseases including cardiovascular, inflammatory, respiratory and metabolic conditions.
The inaugural projects selected to collaborate with the FGSL are with research teams at the University of Birmingham and the University of Cambridge, and will investigate cellular pathways in liver regeneration and inflammatory bowel disease, respectively. The call for proposals to collaborate with the FGSL is ongoing and incoming proposals are reviewed twice a year.
We are delighted to have opened the Functional Genomics Screening Lab here at the Milner Therapeutics Institute in Cambridge, UK.
This collaboration with the MRC and AstraZeneca is a fantastic example of what can be achieved when academia and industry share expertise and resources, and I’m excited by the FGSL’s potential to deliver new diagnostics and treatments to people with chronic diseases.
The UK’s new Functional Genomics Screening Laboratory marks a key milestone in enhancing the national ecosystem needed to improve our understanding of how genetic variance impacts health and disease.
The insights gained from the laboratory, along with the broader efforts of the MRC-led UK human functional genomics initiative, will pave the way for the next generation of diagnostics and targeted treatments to improve health outcomes.
I encourage researchers to collaborate with the new lab, which the MRC is pleased to fund and support.
The launch of the Functional Genomics Screening Laboratory marks an exciting milestone, showcasing the immense potential of functional genomics in increasing our understanding of disease biology and expanding the therapeutic world available to us. We look forward to the insights this pioneering partnership will unlock as we work side-by-side to push the boundaries of science for people with chronic diseases.