It all starts by simply spitting in a tube.
Local biotech company Sequence Bio has launched the pilot phase of its research study, the NL Genome Project, with the aim to gain a deeper understanding of the province’s unique population by studying the DNA of 2,500 volunteering, consenting participants.
Sequence Bio wants to discover better, safer medicines and improve treatment and prevention of diseases that impact Newfoundland and Labrador the most.
CEO Chris Gardner says that’s where simply spitting in a tube comes into play. He says they will collect the saliva and examine medical records of participants to generate and create data needed to do their research.
He says technology is so advanced that from just two milliliters of saliva, they can generate someone’s full genome.
Some of what CEO Chris Gardner had to say during the announcement. @VOCMNEWS pic.twitter.com/lSj8O70KCm
— Ben Murphy VOCM (@BenMurphyVOCM) July 24, 2019
Gardner says the goal is to launch a bigger study, but they first need to take the findings from the 2,500-participant pilot.
He says there may be some changes or tweaks to come first before rolling out the bigger study.
If you’re interested in taking part, visit www.nlgenomeproject.ca.
