NIH launches genome sequencing programme to find new treatments for diseases including both types of diabetes

The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has launched the Centres for Common Disease Genomics (CCDG), where genome sequencing will be used to explore the genomic factors behind diseases such as diabetes (type 1, type 2 and gestational), heart disease, stroke and autism.
The project will use the genomes of 150,000 to 200,000 people with various diseases – including type 2 diabetes – to understand how genomic variations can affect one’s risk of developing certain conditions. Using a network of research collaborations, the researchers are confident that, if successful, these studies could lead to more effective treatments for a wide range of health conditions.
The CCDG will be funded using $240m (£167m) from the NHGRI over four years. The NHGRI is also funding a Coordinating Centre to enable research collaborations and contribute data analysis. The program is also supported by the National Eye Institute and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood institute.
“Advances in DNA sequencing are creating tremendous new opportunities for exploring how the genome plays a role in human disease,” said Eric Gree, Director of the National Human Genome Research Institute. “Our continued focus on both rate and common disease promises to reveal important aspects about the genomic architecture of a wide range of human disorders.”