Cardiff and Vale Health Board pledge to propel Wales to the forefront of genomics expertise

Cardiff and Vale health board have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) alongside other Welsh NHS organisations , as a formalised pledge to work with science technology company Illumina in continuing to develop preventative care genomics in Wales.

The strategic collaboration signifies a robust commitment to advancing Welsh Government’s genomics strategy through enhanced co-operation and innovation, and will build on objectives outlined in the Genomics Delivery Plan for Wales (2022-2025).

On 7th November, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Jeremy Miles visited the Canolfan Iechyd Genomig Cymru (Wales Genomic Health Centre) in Cardiff to meet with partners who have signed the collaborative agreement and see first-hand how Wales is leading the way in this area.

The Memorandum of Understanding has been signed by Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Cardiff University, Public Health Wales and Illumina, in partnership with Welsh Government, and facilitated by Life Science Hub Wales and Genomics Partnership Wales.

The agreement will build upon existing collaborative research into lung cancer diagnostics, with the ambition to further expand into other cancer types, and into wider areas of genomics with the aim of prevention, earlier diagnosis and personalised treatments.

It will support efforts to work collaboratively to improve the development of new technologies, clinical approaches and treatments, medicines, vaccines and services to support preventative care.

Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Jeremy Miles said: “This research agreement has the potential to make a huge difference to preventative cancer care for patients in Wales.

“Our ambition is for Wales to become a world leader in genomics and this Memorandum of Understanding reflects our efforts to strategically partner homegrown talent and ingenuity with industry to help achieve this and strengthen our resilience for the future.

“We believe that working together pooling knowledge and expertise, as well as making better use of the scarce resources available, will boost research into the sector.”

Suzanne Rankin, Senior Responsible Officer for Genomics Partnership Wales, said:

“This is an incredibly exciting time for the field of genomic medicine, and I believe that the strategic collaboration of these organisations represents a fantastic opportunity for Wales to continue strengthening their position in this area.

“The signing of this agreement will support all partners in working alongside one another towards a shared set of objectives, optimising care for patients whilst improving the wellbeing of the wider population"

Mark Robinson, Illumina’s Vice President and General Manager, UK and Ireland, and Northern Europe, said:

“Illumina is committed to collaborating to advance the field of genomic medicine.

“Our hope with this MOU with Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Cardiff University, and Public Health Wales, is that it will enable an even deeper engagement in collaborative research activities and clinical trials that have the potential to save lives through embedding genomic testing into routine care.”