Just as calls come for the UK to be better at handling genomic data – A new national genome centre has been opened. And it has a very clever name…

The Genome Analysis Centre (TGAC), opened in Norwich this month by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) will increase the UK’s capacity for genomics research.

Science Minister Lord Drayson said: “The UK is a world leader in genomics, which is increasingly essential to understanding how to tackle the challenges we face in food security, the development of eco-friendly fuels and fighting superbugs.”

TGAC will concentrate its research on understanding genomes of economically and socially important plants, animals and microbes. Some potential priorities are; eco-friendly biofuel, protecting livestock from disease, producing more nutritious fruit and vegetables. TGAC will also make its cutting edge facilities available to UK industry.

Dr Jane Rogers, Director of TGAC said: “By concentrating on specific organisms and problems we will develop and understanding of the genetic makeup of economically important crops and livestock animals. In addition, the genomic analysis of microbes will be a major focus, not only because they infect both animal and plants, but because they are already a source of drugs for the treatment of bacterial and fungal infections and therefore they have the potential to provide new, superbug beating antibiotics.”

By Leila Sattary