On May 19th, researchers & ALS foundations from 16 countries gathered in Milan to discussed the progress of Project MinE. More than 7,000 DNA profiles have been sequenced already, creating the largest whole genome sequencing dataset that has ever been available for ALS research!
This Project MinE consortium meeting was held as a side meeting at the 14th annual ENCALS conference on scientific research of ALS.
33% funded
Prof. Jan Veldink from UMC Utrecht, the Netherlands, provided an update. So far, 33% of the project is funded. Many countries have been very successful in fundraising and have consequently been able to sequence many DNA profiles.
>7,000 DNA profiles have been sequenced
The most DNA profiles so far have been contributed by the Netherlands, the USA, the UK, Belgium, Ireland, Spain and Turkey. In total, more than 7,000 DNA profiles have been sequenced already.
However, to find rare ALS genes, even more sequenced DNA profiles are needed. The consortium discussed the next batch of DNA profiles to send out for sequencing. Amongst others, Sweden, USA, UK, Portugal and Turkey will send DNA samples for the next batch of samples to be sequenced.
Next batch
So far, the next batch will consist of 1,561 samples. Please donate to increase this number!
Every dollar/ euro will be spent on sequencing DNA profiles to search for the genetic causes of ALS/MND
Project MinE deliverables
- Replication Site for the discovery of TUBA4A as a ALS associated gene (Neuron 2014, 84:324)
- Replication Site for the discovery of TBK1 as a ALS associated gene (Science 2015, 347:1436)
- Identification of two new ALS genes that will be published in a leading scientific journal very soon.
- Further unraveling of the ALS genetic architecture