The Genomics Advisory Committee will be launched at the fourth annual BIA Committee Summit taking place 22 February in London. More than 170 BIA members will gather to discuss key issues of importance to the UK bioscience sector.
The Genomics Advisory Committee has been established to support the strategic objective that the UK starts, scales and builds world leading genomic businesses.
Companies and organisations represented on the committee at its launch include Congenica, Eagle Genomics, Genomics, Global Gene, LGC, NewGene, Oxford Nanopore Technologies and the Wellcome Sanger Institute.
The committee will act as a leadership platform for sharing and discussing issues of common concern between genomic businesses and will provide expert advice on important issues such as the use of data and embedding genomic medicine in the NHS.
It has already got off to a flying start through supporting a panel on genomics that the BIA participated with alongside partners in San Francisco in January during the 36 annual JP Morgan Healthcare Conference.
Dr Adrian Ibrahim, of the Wellcome Sanger Institute and Chair of the Genomics Advisory Committee, said: “I am honoured to be the first Chair of this exciting new BIA Advisory Committee.”
“Developments such as the 100,000 Genomes Project and research carried out by the Sanger Institute at the Wellcome Genome Campus in Hinxton Cambridge provide a solid foundation on which UK SMEs can build and grow. The BIA Genomics Advisory Committee will provide strength to the voice of this community.”
Steve Bates, BIA Chief Executive, said: “I am delighted to launch the new BIA Genomics Advisory Committee. Genomic medicine is on the brink of transforming healthcare and the UK is at the forefront of this revolution.”
“Convening this group will strengthen the voice of UK industry at an exciting and interesting time for genomics, working to ensure that the UK environment remains supportive and internationally competitive for genomic SMEs.”
The meeting of the Genomics Advisory Committee will take place alongside those of seven other Advisory Committees focussed on the respective issues of Cell and Gene Therapy, Engineering Biology, Finance and Tax, Intellectual Property, Manufacturing, Regulatory Affairs and Science and Innovation.
