A super-sized DNA¹ sequencing platform will be built in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, in order to create a genetic² information database for ethnic³ Chinese, according to the provincial⁴ health authority.

 

江苏省卫生局表示，一座超大型DNA测序平台将在南京建立，创造一个华人遗传信息数据库。

 

The DNA project is part of the National Health & Medicine Big Data (Nanjing) Center, a six-billion yuan project under construction in Nanjing's Jiangbei New Area, said Lan Qing, deputy director of the provincial health and family planning commission.

 

During the first phase, health and medical information on about 80 million people, the equivalent of the population in Jiangsu, will be stored at the center, Lan said.

 

"When the facilities are ready, the designed capacity for DNA sequencing will be up to 400,000 to 500,000 samples per year," he said.

 

The DNA sequencing project will be jointly⁵ undertaken by the state-owned Yangzi Group, Southeast University and Nanjing Medical University.

 

Researchers will then use big data created in the database to study genetic mutations related to major diseases, look for the impact of interaction between genes⁶ and environmental concerns on human heath, and provide statistical⁷ support for diagnosis⁸ and treatment of major diseases, Lan said.

 

Cai Long, board director of Yangzi Group, said the program will focus on population genetics, newborns, childhood brain and cognitive⁹ development, cancer, and rare and chronic¹⁰ diseases. The database is expected to be complete in around four years, he said.

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