To date, Project MinE has sequenced almost 8,000 DNA samples. More than 500 of those have come from Australia. The Australian counter now hits 51%. Thus, more samples from Australia will follow. The end goal of all 17 countries partnering in Project MinE is to sequence 22.500 DNA samples and find the genetic causes of ALS/MND.
The MND Research Institute of Australia (MNDRIA) has championed Australia’s contribution to Project MinE through the MND Ice Bucket Challenge Grant-in-aid awarded in 2014 to Associate Professor Ian Blair.
In 2015, MNDRIA awarded the $1.05 million MND Australia Ice Bucket Challenge Grant to Professor Naomi Wray and Associate Professor Ian Blair to build an integrated infrastructure for the collection and analyses of biological samples and clinical data. The Sporadic ALS Australia (SALSA) consortium has implemented identical data and DNA collection protocols in all the major MND clinics in Australia. This means Australia can make an important contribution to Project MinE, requiring large numbers of people with sporadic ALS/MND.
“The SALSA consortium paves the way for Australians with MND to join international efforts in genetic discoveries as a step towards penetrating the complexity of this terrible disease,” Professor Wray said.
Several new genes were discovered last year by the Project MinE consortium and it is hoped that many more discoveries are made in the future.
Have a look on the Project MinE Australia webpage