The University of Aberdeen is part of a Scottish consortium contributing to UK Biobank, set to be the largest study of its kind ever.
Around 80,000 adults will be recruited across Scotland, in a collaboration between the universities of Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow, and the Information and Statistics Division of the NHS in Scotland. Aberdeen members of the consortium include Professor Philip Hannaford, Professor Stuart Ralston, and Dr Blair Smith, who work at the University.
UK Biobank is funded by the Medical Research Council, The Wellcome Trust and the Department of Health. It aims to investigate the separate and combined effects of genetic and environmental factors (including lifestyle, physiological and environmental exposures) on the risk of common multi-factorial diseases of adult life. This will include major killers such as cancer and heart disease, and diseases such as diabetes, arthritis and Parkinson's disease.
Dr Blair Smith, a GP and Senior Lecturer at the University, will be directing the project locally, in close collaboration with colleagues throughout the UK. Dr Smith, said: "This is an extremely exciting project that could change our view of health and illness. It is also an exciting chance for researchers and clinicians from many different disciplines to come together to advance our scientific knowledge. It represents the next big step after recent advances in genetic and public health science."
In total, 500,000 volunteers will be recruited from across the UK, between the ages of 45 and 69. Participants will be asked to attend an interview (which will include health and lifestyle questions), and participate in basic physical examination, and blood tests. This will provide detailed, anonymous profiles of lifestyle, health and (perhaps most importantly) genetic make-up.
The results from the study will provide important new information on the development and prevention of disease, and will offer major research opportunities for years to come, addressing current and unforeseen scientific questions of vital importance to the public health. Although the final level of funding for the project has yet to be agreed, it is likely to be at least £40 million in total.
A team of nurses and researchers will be recruited, and collaboration with general practices across Grampian and the north of Scotland will be undertaken. Volunteers from a wide range of backgrounds and areas will be sought to participate in the project.
The project involves close working with researchers from primary care and hospital-based medicine, along with community-based and laboratory-based scientists.