NEW YORK – Oxford Nanopore Technologies said Tuesday evening that it has inked a partnership with the UK Biobank to create a large-scale epigenetic dataset that will become publicly available.
Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
The project will utilize Oxford Nanopore’s DNA and RNA sequencing technology to profile the epigenomes of 50,000 UK Biobank participants, primarily focusing on healthy individuals.
Once established, the database aims to provide a baseline for future disease studies and support the creation of population-level risk profiles, paving the way for precision medicine and early-stage disease detection, the company noted.
The epigenetic partnership follows the company's previously announced collaboration with the UK government, UK Biobank, Genomics England, and NHS England to improve the country's genomics research and healthcare as well as biosecurity surveillance.
"Working with UK Biobank to create the world’s largest epigenetic dataset aligns with our commitment to drive discovery in healthcare and genomics," Oxford Nanopore CEO Gordon Sanghera said in a statement. "By capturing comprehensive methylation data, we aim to open new doors for understanding disease, especially cancer and dementia, and ultimately enable more personalized, effective treatments for patients.”