Press release
Australian Scientists’ global effort to improve diagnosis of human genetic disorders and genetic variations
An Australian led global initiative to improve the diagnosis of genetic disorders and reduce errors in the reporting of genetic variations was published in the prestigious scientific journal Science on Friday 7 November.Over 60 percent of people worldwide will be affected by a genetic change at some point in their lives that can result in a range of diseases such as cystic fibrosis, epilepsy and cancer.
In a world first, The Human Variome Project aims to collect information on every variation in every gene worldwide. However, out of the 20,000 human genes mapped, only 3,000 have any information available on their variations. “Currently there is no standardized way to capture this information and make it of use to clinicians,” says Professor Richard Cotton, lead author of the paper, Convenor of the Human Variome Project and honorary researcher at the University of Melbourne. “There is a staggering error rate of 40 percent in some reporting of genetic variations. This means clinicians and specialists cannot solely rely on the research literature to inform the life and death decisions of diagnosis and prognosis of genetic disorders.”
The project aims to produce standards for the storage, transmission and use of genetic variation information which for many will reduce the enormously time consuming task of seeking data to assist in providing patients with information.
The Science paper details the establishment of a range of pilot projects being organised around the world that will examine how to systematically collect genetic, clinical and biochemical information in either a country specific or gene specific manner.
“Once these pilot projects are complete, we will be able to roll out suitable systems around the globe and improve the health of billions of people,” Professor Cotton said.
In order to raise funding for this enormous project, the HVP has created a charity called ‘Adopt a Gene’ whereby organizations and support groups can sponsor the curation of specific genes. “People in the past thought this task was too big, too impossible, but the news is it’s happening,” Professor Cotton said.
The Australian-led global project combines the talents of University of Melbourne researchers and colleagues within the Florey Neuroscience Institutes, the Department of Medicine at The Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Epilepsy Research Centre, as well as international colleagues from around the globe.
Neurologist Professor Sam Berkovic of the University of Melbourne and Austin Health, and co author on the paper explains the significance of gaining better access to genetic variations for diseases affecting the brain.
“There is a real challenge for neurologists to ascertain the genetic makeup of the many diseases affecting the brain such as epilepsy, Alzheimer’s and degenerative disorders. Access to extremely varied genetic information is critical as patients develop these diseases over a period of time, “Professor Berkovic said.
“This project opens the doors to earlier understanding and treatment of these complex conditions,” he said.
The Human Variome Project has the support of WHO, UNESCO and OECD countries.
For more information visit http://www.humanvariomeproject.org
HVP
Level 2
161 Barry Street
Carlton VIC 3053, Australia
Mina Taha
00442070787414
The Human Variome Project is pursuing this mission by creating systems and standards for the storage, transmission and use of genetic variation information. Coordinated from Melbourne, Australia, the Human Variome Project's activities are distributed among 14 Key Action Areas, each of which is administered by an HVP Working Group. HVP Working Groups are responsible for producing recommendations for systems, standards and processes.
This release was published on openPR.
Permanent link to this press release:
Copy
Please set a link in the press area of your homepage to this press release on openPR. openPR disclaims liability for any content contained in this release.
You can edit or delete your press release Australian Scientists’ global effort to improve diagnosis of human genetic disorders and genetic variations here
News-ID: 61021 • Views: …
More Releases from Media Communications

“Inside Business Review” show to feature New Series on "Doing Business In A …
The producers of "Inside Business Review" are pleased to announce a special series, Doing Business In A Global Economy, exploring the latest trends in technology, concepts and strategies for the diverse needs of 21st Century corporate and organizational structure. The show marries an unrivaled host, Fred Thompson, with a team of award-winning producers, and provides viewers new information that will impact their lives.
Complexity has become the somewhat…
PlSevera Honored in Sixth Annual International Business Awards
NEW YORK, NY – July 13, 2009 – Severa Corporation, a developer of leading project management tools for professional services automation (PSA), announced today that the company’s PSA software Severa 3 was named a finalist in the “Best New Product or Service in Computer Software” category of the sixth annual International Business Awards. Severa was also nominated a finalist in “Most Innovative Company of the Year in Europe” category.
The…
More Releases for Human
Defending Human Life
Albert Covarrubias, Jr was fighting for his Constitutional rights and was killed in the line of duty by his own police force. There is no divine right to kill him for simply standing up for his rights. Every person has the right to stand for what they believe, rather than be gunned down. You cannot take away human life as being ok with simply saying it was a mistake.
If someone…
I AM HUMAN
Camerata Europæa (CE), inspired by the kaleidoscope of unique current events in the world, presents a cultural program for the year 2022/23 under the motto I AM HUMAN. New perceptions, new morals, new technologies, and ultimately a whole new world, shape modern man. With the progress of science and the evolution of technology, man has comprehended previously unimaginable concepts, marking great and admirable achievements. However, the powerful mechanisms of modern…
The Human Whisperer
'The Human Whisperer'
Finlay McArthur
Published in Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd on 30th of June 2020, both in paperback and eBook version.
The Human Whisperer is the second book by Finlay on his quest to give his readers a better understanding of life. This book will help the reader understand that as humans, there is so much more to us than we think. We are connected to the world both physically and…
Human Physiology 2019
Human Physiology 2019
Theme: Exploring the Principles of Physiology & Metabolism
September 16-17, 2019 | London, United Kingdom
Lexis Conferences cordially invites all the members of different nations to attend this annual meet which is scheduled to hold on September 16-17, 2019 at London, United Kingdom based on theme Exploring the Principles of Physiology & Metabolism. A two days scientific meet will gather scientists, students and healthcare industries under one roof to build…
Human Microbiome Market
Microbial cells outnumber the human cells in the ratio 10:1 in a health human body. Human microbiome is the study of microbes present in the human body. These are beneficial microbes that carry out functions not performed by any gene in the human DNA and hence, they play a very important role in the human body. For example, these microbes produce certain vitamins that our body cannot make, breakdown our…
Human Microbiome Market
Microbial cells outnumber the human cells in the ratio 10:1 in a health human body. Human microbiome is the study of microbes present in the human body. These are beneficial microbes that carry out functions not performed by any gene in the human DNA and hence, they play a very important role in the human body. For example, these microbes produce certain vitamins that our body cannot make, breakdown our…