BREAKING NEWS : THIS IS OUR LATEST NEWSLETTER FROM MARCH 2015

Did you know that historical patterns of people’s movements, from Anglo-Saxon invasions to those of the Vikings and Normans, may have an impact on 21st Century medical science?

This project began in 2004 when we were given funding by the Wellcome Trust to collect blood samples from 4,500 people from rural populations throughout the British Isles. These are being used to look at the patterns of differences in people’s genetic make up around the UK. The project has two purposes, the first to help medical research, and the second to shed light on ancient migrations within the British Isles.

As part of this study, we are also interested in the inherited variation of facial features. Further funding from the Wellcome Trust has been given to return to our volunteers and collect 3D photographs of their faces, with the aim of identifying genes behind particular facial features.

Background

Your genetics differs from that of your neighbour and this means you may differ in your risk of getting particular diseases….

Practicalities

We have collected blood samples from about 4,500 volunteers from different rural regions throughout the UK….

First results

Our first paper with some pilot results came out online in August 2011 and is now out in printed form...

Next – a genetic map

We have some exciting results that we are writing up at the moment showing, for example, that we can differentiate Devon from Cornwall....

How are we getting on with the face?

As of the end of 2011, we have collected 3D photographs from over 800 volunteers, for whom we also have genotype data….

2012 Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition

We have been chosen as one of 21 projects to be exhibited at the 2012 Royal Society Summer Exhibition...

How?

About 3,000 of our samples have been typed as part of the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium 2, and these are being used in projects aimed at discovering genes behind a number of common diseases….

Contacts