UK genetics project completes IT testing

UK Biobank will store data of 500,000 volunteers

The UK Biobank project has successfully tested its IT and security systems and completed its pilot phase, and is now ready for a full national rollout early next year.

The project, to analyse genetics to help combat diseases, will become the world’s largest information resource for medical researchers, storing the health data of 500,000 volunteers.

Steve Walker, chief information officer at UK Biobank, says the pilot involved establishing a complete replica of how the system will function.

With so many people involved, Walker says security of information is vital.

‘We are having to address security issues on many levels,’ he said. ‘At a data level, we are addressing it in terms of separation of identifiers and keys, and at a procedural level in terms of our standard procedures and who is allowed to access what.’

UK Biobank has worked with NCC Group to help it comply with the ISO 27001 information security standard with a view to gaining certification.

The certification process will provide a guarantee to partner organisations and volunteers that UK Biobank keeps their information secure.

The first of eight or nine UK Biobank assessment centres is due to open in Manchester in February. Others will follow at a rate of one a month.

‘Blood and urine samples of volunteers, as well as information on their health, lifestyle and medical histories, will be collected at the assessment centre and then stored in a repository near Stockport,’ said Walker.

‘We’re looking at having assessment centres in Cardiff, urban centres in Scotland, London, Birmingham and Oxford. We are looking for the people to be as representative of the UK population as possible.’

UK Biobank is jointly funded by the Department of Health, Wellcome Trust, Medical Research Council, Scottish Executive and the Northwest Regional Development Agency.

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