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ITV News
7 days ago
- Health
- ITV News
The 'Viking' DNA screening saving lives in Scotland's most remote islands
Words by Louise Scott & Stephanie Docherty When John Arthur volunteered to take part in a local study over a decade ago, he never thought it could end up saving his life. The 63-year-old fisherman just wanted to know if he had Viking ancestry, so he donated blood to a University of Edinburgh study, after hearing a talk in his local village. Ten years later, a letter came through the door which potentially saved his life. John carried a variant of the BRCA2 gene which puts him at a much higher risk of developing cancer. After receiving the letter, he went to the doctor and was diagnosed with stage one prostate cancer. 'If I had not done the study and put these things together, I would never have gone to the doctor in the first place," John told ITV News. 'I thought I better go and get tested and get the [prostate] test done to find out more about it. 'I wouldn't have even thought about going to the doctor about it, to tell the truth." After his early diagnosis, in February this year he underwent a successful operation to remove his prostate and is already back to work with the all clear. He now believes everyone should have access to these types of tests to prevent serious health conditions from developing in the first place. John Arthur is one of more than 60 volunteers who were sent letters last year after contributing to the study which found that those from Shetland, or with ancestors from the islands, are at a much greater risk of carrying genetic variants which can cause a number of life-threatening conditions. These include the BRCA2 gene which causes breast, ovarian and prostate cancer and the KCNH2 gene which causes fatal heart rhythms. Plans have now been unveiled for a groundbreaking genetic screening programme to provide another 5,000 Shetlanders the opportunity to find out if they are carriers of these variants. Professor Jim Flett Wilson from the University's Usher Institute visited Lerwick to announce the £1 million fundraising campaign. 'I've been studying the genetics and the health of the people of Orkney and Shetland for over 20 years now," Professor Wilson said. "When I started this, there wasn't all that much that we could do and now we can read all of the DNA of everyone for a reasonable price so we can learn enormous amounts. 'The first one we noticed was the breast cancer variant. Of course, you find these things in London and Edinburgh, but they're rare. Whereas here we were seeing it in remarkable numbers of people. And when we looked further, we found this wasn't the only case. There were other examples, different genes, different diseases. All of them had become a whole lot more common than we would have expected. 'It's because a lot of people from remote communities have been marrying locally for many years, so many of them come down from one ancestor. But if that ancestor had a mutation, had a change in his or her genes, then it would have come down the generations all the way down to today. 'This happens everywhere on Earth, but people spread all over the world. They're mixed up there in Yorkshire and America. And here obviously some people have left, but there's still a concentration, a core of local people. And we see this this increase in frequency and having these genes, it doesn't necessarily mean that they have cancer or that they have a rare condition." The screening will focus on 50 genetic variants that have 'actionable findings', meaning that they can be treated through NHS to manage the condition. Volunteers in the programme will be notified of their genetic findings and be advised on the appropriate NHS pathway of care. 'The NHS is great as it stands, but it really works in a reactive mode. It only tries to fix people when they're broken, and I think we want to turn this around," Professor Wilson said. "This is a great example of preventative medicine, and we want to start in Shetland because it has the greatest need. And it's also an opportunity. "It's not that big a number of genes that we need to look at. So there's a sort of cost effectiveness argument here as well. It helps to save lives." The Jewish community in England have recently been given access to a similar screening programme, because of the greater levels of the BRCA genes found within their community. The Viking Genes study believes it is only fair to roll this out to other remote communities, like the Scottish islands. The screening will be designed for people over the age of 16, from anywhere in Shetland, by a DNA saliva collection kit. The new screening project will in time identify those individuals who may not be affected themselves, but who carry an elevated risk of passing on certain genetic conditions to their children. The campaign says it could take around one year to lay the 'ground work' for the project before screening commences.
Scotsman
21-05-2025
- Health
- Scotsman
Inside the pioneering £1m 'Viking gene' project to screen thousands of Scottish islanders
Unique project aims to help islanders take preventative action Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A major fundraising drive for a pioneering large-scale genetic screening programme has been launched in an attempt to help thousands of Scots discover whether they are at risk of developing a series of life-threatening conditions. In what has been hailed as a significant step forward towards Scotland's first ever community-focused preventative healthcare screening campaign, the appeal aims to provide people in Shetland with free access to leading genetic research so as to test for disease-causing variants that could cut their lives short. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Those living on parts of the archipelago have a seven-times higher risk of developing breast, ovarian and prostate cancer caused by so-called BRCA2 gene variants than the population on the Scottish mainland. It is hoped the screening programme will enable early preventative health interventions to either reduce the chances of disease occurring, or stop its progression. Dr Shona Kerr and Professor Jim Flett Wilson picking plasma as part of their research for the Viking project. Picture: University of Edinburgh | University of Edinburgh The Viking Genes Shetland initiative aims to provide 5,000 Shetlanders with the opportunity to take part in a free generic screening developed specifically for the islands. Those volunteering will be advised of actionable genetic findings and, in time, the project will also identify those individuals who may not be affected themselves, but who carry an elevated risk of passing on certain genetic conditions to their children. They include the likes of cardiomyopathy, haemochromatosis, Batten disease and island-specific multiple sclerosis. Health Secretary Neil Gray has asked to be kept informed about the progress of the community screening project and its implications for shaping future genomic medicine policy across Scotland, where several more high-risk population groups have been identified. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Jim Flett Wilson, a professor of human genetics who leads the Viking Genes programme at the University of Edinburgh's Usher Institute, said: 'Preventative genetic healthcare like the Viking Genes Shetland community screening project will directly impact the health of Shetlanders. 'It's likely to save lives and keep many more people healthy and contributing to the community rather than not realising they were at risk and then suffering from advanced stages of disease later in their lives. Shetlanders have a much higher risk of certain genetic diseases, so there's a clear need and we are trying to help. Shetland Islands Council, including the town of Lerwick (pictured) takes fourth spot when it comes to standards of nursery provision. There are 1,301 under-fives in the area, with 5.4 nurseries per 1,000 under-fives rated excellent in at least one category. | Canva/Getty Images 'Most people we screen will find they have no elevated health risks and have that peace of mind. But we've already demonstrated that for the expected 100 individuals we find with elevated risks, it can be life-changing and life extending.' Community leaders in Shetland have formed a committee in an effort to raise £1 million towards the costs of the programme, which will test for 50 genetic variants found to be prevalent in the local population. Research shows one in 40 Shetlanders carry one of these variants. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Sandra Laurenson, chair of Viking Genes Shetland, said: 'The voluntary group was formed following a presentation Prof Wilson gave in Lerwick last autumn. It was an eye-opener for many of us learning of the number of conditions that stem from a genetic variant, and interesting how it traced back to specific island communities. Those volunteering will be advised of actionable genetic findings. Picture: University of Edinburgh | University of Edinburgh
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
AscellaHealth Demonstrates Leadership in Realizing the Full Potential of Novel Therapies and Medicinal Products at Advanced Therapies Integrates North 2025
DUBLIN and BERWYN, Pa., April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AscellaHealth, a global partner delivering customisable solutions to support the specialty pharmaceutical industry, proudly announces its participation in Advanced Therapies Integrates North 2025, taking place on 30 April 2025 at the Usher Institute in Edinburgh. As a recognised leader in expanding access to innovative therapies for complex, chronic and rare diseases, AscellaHealth will be represented by Gillian Molloy, vice president, Market Access, who will serve as a panellist during the session, Strength in Numbers, scheduled from 12:20 - 13:00. With nearly 20 years of experience across the European and US life sciences sectors, Molloy will bring her deep expertise in strategic innovation and market access to the panel discussion, offering valuable perspectives on the power of collaboration in advanced therapy medicinal product (ATMP) development. Drawing on her extensive transatlantic experience, she will share practical strategies for building effective partnerships and provide real-world insights into overcoming key industry challenges—particularly the regulatory and commercial hurdles that can impede the advancement of transformational ATMPs. At AscellaHealth, Molloy works closely with pharmaceutical manufacturers and healthcare organisations, delivering consultative strategies that enhance the patient treatment journey, improve clinical outcomes and optimise commercialisation for complex therapies. In addition to her participation at the Advanced Therapies Integrates North, Molloy and Alexis Moss, director of business development, AscellaHealth, will also be featured as panellists in a series of upcoming virtual roundtable webinars hosted by the Life Science Access Academy this June: Alexis Moss - Homecare: An NHS Update – 20 June 2025. Register here. Gillian Molloy - Gene Therapy: Rhetoric vs Reality – 27 June 2025. Register here. Moss brings over two decades of experience in the healthcare sector and leads AscellaHealth's global business development initiatives. She is instrumental in driving cost-effective, patient-centred solutions through strategic partnerships with pharmaceutical manufacturers and healthcare stakeholders. 'These are exciting times for advancing ATMP clinical development and this meeting serves as a pivotal platform for exploring faster, smarter and more efficient development pathways,' says Molloy, who will also play an active role in the November 2025 Advanced Therapies Integrates North event. 'Through collaboration and shared expertise, we can navigate the complexities of market access and work together to ensure patients around the world benefit from the full promise of these breakthrough treatments.' To arrange a 1:1 meeting with AscellaHealth during Advanced Therapies Integrates North 2025, please contact businessdevelopment@ About AscellaHealth LLCAscellaHealth is a global partner that delivers proven end-to-end solutions to both life sciences and healthcare companies to enhance the quality of life for patients with complex, chronic conditions. A dedicated team gets critical healthcare products from manufacturers to patients while ensuring an efficient flow of funds between payers and pharma. For more information on our services and solutions, visit or This press release was published by a CLEAR® Verified individual. CONTACT: Media: Caroline Chambers CPR Communications cchambers@ 201.641.1911 x 21
