The BioResource connects biological samples, such as blood and tissue, with health information. This gives researchers a powerful resource to understand why diseases develop, how they affect different people and how they can be treated more effectively.
By bringing research closer to everyday patient care, the programme has the potential to make East London a leading environment for developing discoveries. It’s hoped that this could accelerate breakthroughs from research into clinical practice, in turn improving healthcare both locally and globally.
The impact of the Barts BioResource so far
Established by Queen Mary University of London and Barts Health, the BioResource has already demonstrated what is possible when patients and researchers work together.
Since 2017, more than 28,000 people have contributed health information and biological samples to the BioResource, supporting more than 65 research projects that have gone on to have real-life applications in hospitals.
Now, the programme will expand significantly.
The expansion of the Barts BioResource
Over the next five years, the BioResource will expand across Barts Health NHS Trust, with plans to recruit patients in areas including:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Cancer
- Arthritis
- Maternity
Over 50,000 biological samples will be collected and securely linked with information including health records and imaging data embedded into routine NHS care. Following patients over time will give researchers a rich picture of health and disease, helping them study how diseases develop, identify genetic links and develop more personalised approaches to treatment.
Barts Charity is investing £6.77 million to support the infrastructure needed to make this expansion possible. It will integrate with the Barts Health Data Platform, meaning high-quality clinical data and biosamples can be connected easily.
Research that better reflects the people it serves
One of the greatest opportunities comes from the communities the BioResource will serve.
East London’s population is exceptionally diverse. Yet people from underrepresented communities haven’t always had the same opportunities to participate in medical research.
The expanded BioResource will embed opportunities to take part into routine care, making research accessible to many more patients. Consent will be available in multiple languages and accessible formats, while patients and local communities will help shape how the programme operates and how their data is used.
This could create a research resource that better represents the people healthcare needs to serve. In doing so, it could help scientists understand differences in how diseases present in people and ultimately develop treatments that work for more people.
Research carried out with East London’s communities therefore has the potential to make an impact far beyond East London.
Connecting research and healthcare
The BioResource will work alongside national initiatives including Genomics England and UK Biobank, but with a distinctive approach: operating across Barts Health and giving patients opportunities to participate in research at the point they receive care.
By connecting patients, clinicians and researchers in this way, the programme aims to make research a more routine part of healthcare – and shorten the journey between scientific discovery and improvements in patient care.
“East London’s extraordinary diversity gives us a unique opportunity to transform our understanding of health and disease. By embedding research into everyday NHS care, the expanded Barts BioResource will enable many more patients to take part and help us turn discoveries into more precise and effective treatments, both for our local communities and for patients around the world.”Professor Sir Mark Caulfield, Vice-President for Health at Queen Mary University of London
"The Barts BioResource has already shown what can happen when patients and researchers work together. Thousands of people have generously given samples and information, and that has supported several research projects with real benefits in our hospitals. Expansion across Barts Health, and following patients over time as part of their routine care, gives us the chance to go much further, to understand how diseases develop in different communities and to turn those discoveries into better treatments, sooner."Professor Anthony Mathur, Principal Investigator for Barts BioResource
"This expansion of the Barts BioResource is a hugely welcome development made possible by Barts Charity, and moves us closer to our ambition of making research a part of everyday care. By bringing sample collection and recruitment together across our hospitals, and drawing on the extraordinary diversity of East London's communities, we can help researchers understand disease better and find the next treatments, for people here and around the world."Dr Jenny Rivers, Director of Research & Development at Barts Health NHS Trust
“The BioResource has enormous potential to change how research is delivered locally - but also to improve equity in healthcare across the globe. Medical breakthroughs will be accelerated through this investment – and will enable the development of treatments bespoke to the individual. This is an exciting moment for East London research and healthcare.”Fiona Miller Smith, Chief Executive of Barts Charity