Medical discoveries do not happen overnight, but are the result of years of painstaking research and collaboration. A prime example of this is UK Biobank, led by Rory Collins, which has amassed health data from half a million individuals over time. This data includes questionnaires, blood samples, and imaging of various body parts. What sets UK Biobank apart is that it is open to any researcher, making its wealth of information readily available for new discoveries.
Since its inception in 2006, UK Biobank has contributed to over 3,000 scientific papers, with innovations such as the polygenic risk score emerging from its data. The true impact of this data may not be fully realized for years to come, as ongoing projects continue to uncover new insights and information. Collins is hopeful that as participants age, the data collected will shed light on diseases like dementia. To diversify their data, UK Biobank has supported international projects in countries like Mexico, China, and the U.S., with plans to expand to more nations in the future.
Despite the challenges ahead, the impact of UK Biobank continues to drive Collins forward. He considers himself fortunate to be a part of such a groundbreaking project, with an impressive number of papers published last year thanks to the wealth of data available. Collins remains optimistic about the future of UK Biobank and the potential it holds for advancing medical research on a global scale.