We are Genomics England and our vision is to create a world where everyone benefits from genomic healthcare. Introducing our refreshed podcast identity: Behind the Genes, previously known as The G Word. Join us every fortnight, where we cover everything from the latest in cutting-edge research to real-life stories from those affected by rare conditions and cancer. With thoughtful conversations, we take you behind the science. You can also tune in to our Genomics 101 explainer series which breaks down complex terms in under 10 minutes.
Episodes
Wednesday Oct 25, 2023
Wednesday Oct 25, 2023
Unfortunately, please note you may be able to hear some background noise or static during some parts of the recording.
In this episode, Candice King, Patient and Public Engagement Manager and Will Townley, Cohorts Manager who both work at the Diverse Data initiative at Genomics England, are joined by Dr Mie Rizig and Sir John Hardy, who both work at University College London (UCL).
This podcast delves into a new paper published by Mie and John in the Lancet Neurology. The paper describes a novel African ancestry Parkinson's disease genetic risk factor. Our guests discuss the need for diversity in genetic research, the key findings from their study, and opportunities for future research in Parkinson's disease.
You can read the full transcript here: Diversity-in-Parkinsons-research.docx
“The number of people [in genomic research studies] from a white background, Northern Europeans, is about 95%. The number of people from an African background is only 0.2%. This is a significant disparity. When [clinicians] want to translate this into clinical practice, [they] think about: How will be able to test those people sufficiently enough?”
The study was conducted by scientists from the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, the National Institutes of Health, and the University of Lagos, Nigeria as part of the Global Parkinson's Genomic Program (GP2). GP2 is supported by the Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) initiative and implemented by The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF). The paper mainly included cohorts from:
- The Nigerian Parkinson Disease Research Network, which is part of the International Parkinson's Disease Genomics Consortium (IPDGC) Africa, a collaboration of cohorts across 12 countries to increase the scientific understanding of Parkinson's disease in Africans. IPDGC Africa is funded in part by MJFF.
- The BLAAC PD study is a cross-sectional study that collects blood or saliva samples and clinical data from Black and African Americans. It is funded by ASAP and implemented by MJFF.
- Most of the control participants were obtained from 23andMe, a personal genetics company that has assembled a sizable cohort of individuals who have consented to contribute their data for use in various research studies.
1 months ago
My wife was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease at age 62. She had severe calf pain, muscle pain, tremors, slurred speech, frequent falls, loss of balance, and difficulty getting up from a sitting position. She was put on Sinemet for 6 months, and then Siferol was introduced and replaced the Sinemet. Neither standard treatment like B1 and high dose B12 did very little for her. We tried different supplements that didn’t work, so last August, our family doctor started her on the PD-5 protocol—the best decision ever! 2 months into treatment she improved dramatically. At the end of the full treatment course, the disease is totally under control. Cases of muscle weakness, constant twitches and tremors eased. My wife has resumed her daily activities. As I share this experience, she’s active again. I’m surprised a lot of PWPs haven’t heard of the PD-5 protocol. We got the protocol from ww w. Limitlessnaturalwellness .com