Functional Genomics Screening Laboratory opens at Milner Therapeutics Institute
The Milner Institute was the host for the official opening of the new Functional Genomics Screening Laboratory (FGSL).
Key representatives from the three FGSL partners – the Medical Research Council (MRC), AstraZeneca and the University of Cambridge – gathered for a ribbon-cutting and launch reception.
The partners initially announced their multi-million pound collaboration to establish The Functional Genomics Centre in 2018, to be located within the University of Cambridge’s Milner Therapeutics Institute on Cambridge Biomedical Campus.
Delegates enjoyed speeches from Milner Institute director Prof Sir Tony Kouzarides, the senior vice president of discovery sciences at AstraZeneca, Steve Rees, and executive chair of the MRC, Prof Patrick Chinnery. Their remarks gave insights into the background of the FGSL, the benefits of cross-sector collaboration and how this initiative fits with the vision and ambitions of each partner.
Prof Kouzarides said: “We are delighted to have opened the Functional Genomics Screening Lab here at the Milner Therapeutics Institute in Cambridge, UK.
“This collaboration with the MRC and AstraZeneca is a fantastic example of what can be achieved when academia and industry share expertise and resources, and I’m excited by the FGSL’s potential to deliver new diagnostics and treatments to people with chronic diseases.”
Prof Chinnery said: “The UK's new Functional Genomics Screening Laboratory marks a key milestone in enhancing the national ecosystem needed to improve our understanding of how genetic variance impacts health and disease.
“The insights gained from the laboratory, along with the broader efforts of the MRC-led UK human functional genomics initiative, will pave the way for the next generation of diagnostics and targeted treatments to improve health outcomes.
“I encourage researchers to collaborate with the new lab, which the MRC is pleased to fund and support.”
Attendees enjoyed what one described as “an excellent opportunity to view the new space, understand the goals and ethos of the FGSL from all three partners, network and ask questions”.
It will be the first centre to offer arrayed CRISPR screening on this scale for chronic disease through collaborations with researchers from across the UK. This will enable more laboratories to identify novel targets for drug discovery across a range of diseases including cardiovascular, inflammatory, respiratory and metabolic conditions.
The inaugural projects selected to collaborate with the FGSL are with research teams at the University of Birmingham and the University of Cambridge, and will investigate cellular pathways in liver regeneration and inflammatory bowel disease, respectively.
Steve Rees, senior vice president, Discovery Sciences, AstraZeneca, said: "The launch of the Functional Genomics Screening Laboratory marks an exciting milestone, showcasing the immense potential of functional genomics in increasing our understanding of disease biology and expanding the therapeutic world available to us.
“We look forward to the insights this pioneering partnership will unlock as we work side-by-side to push the boundaries of science for people with chronic diseases.”
All information regarding the application process, the application form and arrayed CRISPR screens is available here.
