In the world of medical research, breakthroughs are often the result of years of hard work rather than a sudden discovery. Rory Collins is one such individual who has dedicated his career to unraveling the mysteries of human health through his work with UK Biobank, a research project that collects health data from over half a million people worldwide.
What sets UK Biobank apart from other research projects is its open-door policy when it comes to sharing data with researchers. This has made it a valuable resource for scientific innovation and has led to groundbreaking concepts like the polygenic risk score. Since its inception in 2006, the project has been instrumental in over 3,000 scientific papers and continues to inspire new projects with its ongoing research initiatives.
One of the key goals of UK Biobank is to collect more data as participants age, with the hope of shedding light on late-life diseases such as dementia. To make its data more diverse, UK Biobank has supported international data-gathering projects in countries like Mexico, China, and the U.S., with plans to expand to even more countries in the future.
Despite facing challenges ahead, Rory Collins remains driven by the impact that UK Biobank is having on medical research. He considers himself fortunate to be part of such a groundbreaking project that has led to numerous scientific publications without him having to write a single word. The full impact of this project will continue to unfold as over 2,800 projects are still ongoing, making UK Biobank one of the most significant medical discoveries in recent history.
