(Press-News.org) Launch of world’s most significant protein study set to usher in new understanding for medicine
Strict embargo: 00.01 (GMT), Friday 10 January 2025
UK Biobank has today announced the launch of the world’s most comprehensive study of the proteins circulating in our bodies, which will transform the study of diseases and their treatments. This unparalleled project aspires to measure up to 5,400 proteins in each of 600,000 samples, including those taken from half a million UK Biobank participants and 100,000 second samples taken from these volunteers up to 15 years later. This will allow researchers to explore a first-of-its-kind database, detailing how changes to an individual’s protein levels over mid-to-late life influence disease. The study will begin by analysing the first 300,000 samples, which will include initial samples from 250,000 UK Biobank volunteers and 50,000 second samples taken at follow-up assessments.
Measuring the abundance of thousands of proteins circulating in the blood enables researchers to investigate their potential role in many types of diseases that occur during mid-to-late life. This emerging research field – known as population proteomics – has demonstrated huge potential for diagnostics and therapeutics.
In October 2023, a pilot project released data on nearly 3,000 circulating proteins from 54,000 UK Biobank participants. The pilot was already the world’s largest study of its kind and led to research identifying over 14,000 links between common genetic variants and altered protein levels, over 80% of which were previously unknown.
The research, published in Nature1, has already been cited over 400 times, laying the foundations for scientists to better understand how and why diseases develop. So far, studies using the data have led to advances in disease prediction2,3 and developing future targeted treatments for breast cancer4, cardiovascular disease5, Parkinson’s disease6, and other brain illnesses7.
This new study, which aims to increase this unique dataset by ten-fold, is being funded by a consortium of 14 leading biopharmaceutical companies, known as the UK Biobank Pharma Proteomics Project.
Professor Sir Rory Collins, Principal Investigator and Chief Executive of UK Biobank, said:
“For the first time at this scale, researchers will be able to detect the exact causes of diseases by comparing how protein levels change over mid-to-late life in a large group of people. Proteomic data has already paved the way for better cancer, autoimmune and dementia diagnostics, and this truly exciting study of proteins will significantly speed up drug discovery, leading to major improvements in public health and care everywhere.”
UK Biobank’s proteomics dataset will allow researchers to:
Examine proteomic and genetic data from half a million people simultaneously. UK Biobank released the whole genome sequencing of its half a million participants in November 2023. Adding proteomic data will allow researchers to combine these massive datasets, providing a more detailed picture of the biological processes involved in disease progression. This may in turn drive the development of personalised treatments.
Examine how and why protein levels change over time. Half a million participants provided UK Biobank with a blood sample when they joined and 100,000 of them provided a second sample up to 15 years later. Researchers will be able to see how protein levels have changed over mid-to-late life, enhancing understanding of age-related changes in healthy individuals and shedding light on how diseases develop. This will further accelerate research into diagnostic and prognostic markers.
Uniquely use proteomic data in combination with imaging data. Nearly 100,000 UK Biobank participants have undergone magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of their brain, heart and body, providing researchers with detailed scans. Layering these different data types to investigate human health creates a truly extraordinary, detailed understanding of the disease mechanisms.
Open avenues for developing AI models. Already, machine learning tools can predict future disease many years before diagnosis, with the potential to shape early interventions8. The depth and breadth of the proteomic data held within UK Biobank may enable machine learning to accurately subtype diseases, which has the potential to inform what treatments should be given at the point of diagnosis.
Professor Naomi Allen, Chief Scientist of UK Biobank, said:
“Proteomics provides an incredibly detailed snapshot of health. This new frontier of science can unveil how genetics and external factors – like diet, exercise and climate – interact, and will help to pinpoint the key causes of diseases and identify drug targets. It has already led to important scientific discoveries, such as identifying proteins that can help to diagnose disease – including multiple sclerosis9 – and helping to identify those at higher risk of developing dementia10 and cancer 11 many years before clinical diagnosis.
“Over 19,000 researchers around the world are using UK Biobank data; adding proteomic data to everything else we hold will enable scientists to make rapid discoveries to help diagnose and treat life-altering diseases.”
It will take about a year to measure the protein levels in 300,000 participant samples. The proteomic data will be made available to UK Biobank-approved researchers 12 in staggered releases from 2026, with the full dataset expected to be added to the UK Biobank Research Analysis Platform by 2027. During this time, additional funding will be sought to analyse samples from all remaining UK Biobank volunteers (an additional 250,000 participants, including second samples from a further 50,000).
Dr Chris Whelan, Director, Neuroscience, Data Science & Digital Health, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, Pharma Proteomics Project Lead, said:
“UK Biobank’s proteomic dataset has the potential to enable more powerful biomarker discovery, more accurate disease prediction, and more successful drug development. Analysing samples from two time points in the same volunteer will allow us to examine how protein levels change across hundreds of health and disease states over time, at an unprecedentedly large scale.
“This will represent one of the world’s largest ever biopharmaceutical research collaborations, underlining the growing importance of proteomics as a drug discovery tool. I can’t wait to see how the scientific community will explore these data to pinpoint molecular drivers of disease progression, disease subtypes, and aging.”
Before the data are made available to UK Biobank-approved researchers, and in keeping with its Access policy, members of this industry consortium will have a short period of exclusive access (nine months). Any results gleaned will be returned to UK Biobank, further enhancing a ground-breaking health dataset accessible to approved researchers globally.
The protein detection and sequencing will be completed by Regeneron Genetics Center®, using the Olink™ Explore HT proteomics platform from Thermo Fisher Scientific and Ultima UG 100™ sequencers from Ultima Genomics13, both high throughput technologies enabling large-scale applications.
-ENDS-
For a digital pack containing photos visit this link. For more information and requests for interview please contact: Naomi Clarke, Head of Press, UK Biobank naomi.clarke@ukbiobank.ac.uk +44 (0)7903 158 979
Notes to editors:
UK Biobank is the world’s most comprehensive source of biomedical data available for health research in the public interest. Over the past 15 years we have collected biological, health and lifestyle information from 500,000 UK volunteers. The dataset is continuously growing, with additions including the world’s largest set of whole genome sequencing data, imaging data from 100,000 participants and a first-of-its kind set of protein biomarkers from 54,000 participants. Since 2012, scientists from universities, charities, companies and governments across the world can apply to use the data to advance modern medicine and drive the discovery of new preventions, treatments and cures. Over 20,000 researchers, based in more than 50 countries, are using UK Biobank data, and more than 14,000 peer-reviewed scientific papers have been published as a result. The data are de-identified and stored on our secure cloud-based platform. UK Biobank is a registered charity and was established by Wellcome and the Medical Research Council in 2003. You can read more about our funding here. www.ukbiobank.ac.uk, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), Facebook, Instagram
The UK Biobank Pharma Proteomics Project will fund the analysis of the first 300,000 samples. The biopharmaceutical companies in the Pharma Proteomics Project are: Alden Scientific, AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb, Calico Life Sciences, deCODE genetics (a subsidiary of Amgen), Roche, GSK, Isomorphic Labs, Johnson & Johnson, MSD, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Regeneron and Takeda. UK Biobank are seeking additional funding to analyse the remaining 300,000 samples, therefore completing the full cohort, plus 100,000 second samples, taken up to 15 years later.
References:
Plasma proteomic associations with genetics and health in the UK Biobank, Sun & Whelan et al, Nature, October 2023. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06592-6
Proteomic signatures improve risk prediction for common and rare diseases, Carrasco-Zanini et al, Nature, July 2024. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-024-03142-z
Blood protein assessment of leading incident diseases and mortality in the UK Biobank, Foley, Marioni & Sun et al, Nature Aging, July 2024. https://www.nature.com/articles/s43587-024-00655-7
Evaluation of circulating plasma proteins in breast cancer using Mendelian randomisation, Mälarstig et al, Nature Communications, November 2023. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-43485-8
Proteome-wide Mendelian randomization identifies candidate causal proteins for cardiovascular diseases, Chen et al, MedRxiv, October 2023. https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.16.23297103v1
Proteogenomic network analysis reveals dysregulated mechanisms and potential mediators in Parkinson’s disease, Doostparast et al, Nature Communications, July 2024. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-50718-x
Immunological Drivers and Potential Novel Drug Targets for Major Psychiatric, Neurodevelopmental, and Neurodegenerative Conditions, Dardani et al, MedRxiv, February 2024. https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.02.16.24302885v1
Disease prediction with multi-omics and biomarkers empowers case–control genetic discoveries in the UK Biobank, Garg, Karpinski & Matelska et al, Nature Genetics, September 2024. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-024-01898-1
Plasma proteomic profiles of UK Biobank participants with multiple sclerosis, Jacobs et al, Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, January 2024. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/acn3.51990
Plasma proteomic profiles predict future dementia in healthy adults, Guo, Yu & Zhang et al, Nature Aging, February 2024. https://www.nature.com/articles/s43587-023-00565-0
Identifying proteomic risk factors for cancer using prospective and exome analyses of 1463 circulating proteins and risk of 19 cancers in the UK Biobank, Atkins & Tong et al, Nature Communications, May 2024. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-48017-6
Data will be made available to approved researchers through UK Biobank, via the UK Biobank Research Analysis Platform. Researchers can register to apply from around the world. For more information visit: https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/enable-your-research
The Olink™ Explore HT platform and Ultima UG 100™ sequencers are currently labelled, “For research use only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.”
END
Launch of world’s most significant protein study set to usher in new understanding for medicine
2025-01-10
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
New study from Chapman University reveals rapid return of water from ground to atmosphere through plants
2025-01-09
Orange, California - January 9, 2025: A new study led by scientists in the Schmid College of Science and Technology at Chapman University provides the first comprehensive global estimates of the amount of water stored in Earth’s plants and the amount of time it takes for that water to flow through them. The information is a missing piece of the puzzle in understanding the global water cycle and how that cycle is being altered by changes in land use and climate.
The study, published today, January 9, in the journal ...
World's darkest and clearest skies at risk from industrial megaproject
2025-01-09
On December 24th, AES Andes, a subsidiary of the US power company AES Corporation, submitted a project for a massive industrial complex for environmental impact assessment. This complex threatens the pristine skies above ESO’s Paranal Observatory in Chile’s Atacama Desert, the darkest and clearest of any astronomical observatory in the world [1]. The industrial megaproject is planned to be located just 5 to 11 kilometres from telescopes at Paranal, which would cause irreparable damage to astronomical observations, in particular due to light pollution emitted throughout the project’s operational life. Relocating the complex would save one ...
UC Irvine-led discovery of new skeletal tissue advances regenerative medicine potential
2025-01-09
Irvine, Calif., Jan. 9, 2025 — An international research team led by the University of California, Irvine has discovered a new type of skeletal tissue that offers great potential for advancing regenerative medicine and tissue engineering.
Most cartilage relies on an external extracellular matrix for strength, but “lipocartilage,” which is found in the ears, nose and throat of mammals, is uniquely packed with fat-filled cells called “lipochondrocytes” that provide super-stable internal support, enabling ...
Pulse oximeters infrequently tested by manufacturers on diverse sets of subjects
2025-01-09
Manufacturers increasingly but still infrequently follow Food and Drug Administration guidance that recommends testing pulse oximeters on participants with a range of skin pigmentations, according to a new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
The FDA made the recommendation in 2013, following reports that pulse oximeters—devices that measure blood-oxygen levels by shining light through the skin—can be less accurate when used on people with dark skin and that undetected low oxygen levels are more common ...
Press Registration is open for the 2025 AAN Annual Meeting
2025-01-09
MINNEAPOLIS – Press registration is now open for journalists who wish to attend the 77th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN). The 2025 AAN Annual Meeting will be held from April 5-9 in San Diego and online.
The AAN Annual Meeting brings together thousands of neurologists and neuroscience professionals, offering the latest in scientific discoveries and advances in neurological research. There will be over 3,200 abstracts covering 25 neurology topics and specialties. The meeting will include late-breaking research, key lectures and more than ...
New book connects eugenics to Big Tech
2025-01-09
Anita Say Chan, an associate professor in the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, has authored a new book that identifies how the eugenics movement foreshadows the predatory data tactics used in today's tech industry. Her book, Predatory Data: Eugenics in Big Tech and Our Fight for an Independent Future, was released this month by the University of California Press.
Over a century ago, the eugenics movement sought to eliminate "undesirable" traits in society through selective breeding (sterilization). It was biased against marginalized groups ...
Electrifying your workout can boost muscles mass, strength, UTEP study finds
2025-01-09
EL PASO, Texas (Jan. 9, 2025) – If building strength and muscle mass is part of your New Year’s Resolution, you may want to add a new routine to your workout.
Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES), or electrical muscle stimulation for short, uses electrical currents to contract muscles. The stimulation devices are easy to use and widely available on the market, according to Sudip Bajpeyi, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Kinesiology at The University of Texas at El Paso, but he has often wondered, “Can these stimulators offer ...
Renewed grant will continue UTIA’s integrated pest management program
2025-01-09
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture (UTIA) has received a $210,000 grant from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to support ongoing integrated pest management (IPM) programs across Tennessee.
An environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that emphasizes affordability and long-term sustainability, IPM practices have been implemented statewide courtesy of UT Extension specialists in fields such as agronomy, weed management, entomology, plant pathology, soil health and pesticide education. The recently ...
Researchers find betrayal doesn’t necessarily make someone less trustworthy if we benefit
2025-01-09
Key takeaways
Both intuition and past research suggest that whether people deem someone trustworthy depends on that person’s past behavior and reputation for betrayal.
In a series of experiments, psychologists found that subjects regarded those who previously exhibited that behavior as less trustworthy. However, when the betrayal benefited them or had no effect on them, participants regarded the betrayer as trustworthy.
This pattern was largely consistent across the types of relationships studied: friendships, romantic relationships and professional relationships.
Imagine this scenario: Two people cheat on their partners with each other ...
Pet dogs often overlooked as spreader of antimicrobial-resistant Salmonella
2025-01-09
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Antibiotic-resistant Salmonella is a serious public health concern that has increased in recent years as the bacteria have developed ways to survive drugs. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people can get Salmonella from eating contaminated food products or from infected people or animals — typically via unintentional contact with feces via touching hands or stroking a pet. However, a team of Penn State researchers have found that household dogs are an overlooked transmission point for zoonotic pathogens such as nontyphoidal Salmonella, which can cause diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps, with some ...