This week Doris-Ann and the Chair of the Genomics Working Party, Dr Philip Beer, had a meeting with the Chief Executive of Genomics England (GEL), Chris Wigley, the deputy director for Genomics at NHS E&I, Alexandra Pickard and the head of Innovation & Growth at the OLS, Colin Wilson.
This as following the recent meeting with the working party to explore a relationship with GEL, and the Genomics Unit at NHS E&I, particularly how we can get genuinely disruptive tests into the system and re-design pathways to allow this given that the NHS focus is to pull through technologies that meet pre-identified areas of clinical need.
The timing was fortunate as NHS E&I are about to start work on their strategy for the next 3-5 years and will ensure BIVDA is brought into that process. There will be more investment into backstop funding from GEL and NHS E&I for research posts within the genomic laboratory hubs but it is hoped there will be industry engagement in this as well.
The meeting was a useful starting point to look at how we can potentially work with the genomic laboratories to assess new technologies and form partnerships for further development.
