Oxford Nanopore is partnering with the UK Government to create what is said to be the world’s first real-time surveillance system for dangerous pathogens. This will provide an early warning framework to detect and respond to emerging pandemics and biological threats, meaning that potential outbreaks of bacterial or viral diseases can monitored alongside antimicrobial resistance across the UK. Oxford Nanopore will also work with Genomics England, UK Biobank, and NHS England on the project.
This development is an expansion of the NHS Respiratory Metagenomics programme which is aimed at enabling rapid pathogen identification across the UK. Deployment of Oxford Nanopore’s sequencing technology will support infectious disease management in hospitals. The technology will also allow the NHS to characterise diseases, including cancer and rare genetic conditions, with greater speed and precision.
Oxford Nanopore uses long read sequencing technology to analyse genes and pathogens to rapidly diagnose a range of cancers along with rare infectious diseases. The technology can sequence long strands of DNA or RNA, without breaking them into smaller fragments.
The collaborators have said that the expanded project, which will start during 2025, will enhance the UK’s position as a global biotechnology hub, supporting economic growth and creating high-value jobs in the life sciences sector.
The UK Government Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said: “During the Covid pandemic we saw the power of the UK life sciences sector very clearly – from the Oxford-Astra Zeneca vaccine that saved so many lives, through to operating one of the world’s most effective Covid surveillance systems, which spotted several emerging variants of the disease. This partnership will build on that expertise to monitor emerging diseases as they arise, putting our scientists and decision-makers one-step ahead and providing the information they need to make informed decisions.”
Oxford Nanopore’s CEO Gordon Sanghera added: “The UK has a remarkable genomics ecosystem, and we are delighted to be innovating more collaboratively through this partnership.”
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