Exeter Asked To Help Improve Healthcare
In future, a blood test could tell if we've got cancer BEFORE we get a tumour or what happens before someone becomes diabetic.
Exeter scientists are asking 10,000 of us to give things like blood and DNA samples to move such studies in advanced diagnosis forward.
At the moment, research is really close to things like detecting cancer before we get a tumour.
This scheme called Exeter 10000, is a new project by the Peninsula Clinical Research Facility to help improve healthcare by trying to engage us in research and allow new treatments and diagnostics to be created and developed.
It is basically asking us to come forward voluntarily and give a blood and urine sample following a 30 minute medical. Half of our samples will be sent for testing for things like cholesterol and blood sugar, the results of which can be shared with us and our GPs if we wish.
The other half will be stored for research purposes which need DNA and things to answer questions which crop up in studies.
So the idea is, researchers will come to the facility and ask if we have a selection of people who fit criteria like "overweight and diabetic" for instance, so they can study perceived links.
Hopefully, through Exeter 10000, the city's facility will be able to give the researchers hundreds of people's samples which match what they need.
The Peninsula Clinical Research Facility in Exeter are coordinating over 30 individual studies looking at diabetes, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritus, lupus, mental health, IBD and cancer.
The Exeter 10000 study will also allow the facility to link information from these individual studies to try and understand why some people get sick and why others don't.
If you wish to take part you can call 01392 406769 or 01392 406771 or visit exeter10000.org where you can find out more and find out dates for open days - the first being on the 12th March at the Clinical Research Facility.