The BIA together with the Wellcome Sanger Institute and the Medicines Discovery Catapult has launched a new report Genomics Nation, showcasing the strength, breadth and opportunity in the UK’s genomics sector.

The UK’s genomics sector carries a rich legacy and the report shows that the sector is at the forefront of the development of new genomic technologies and its growth is driven by a thriving community of entrepreneurs, scaling SMEs, global companies and an active investor base.

At Cambridge Innovation Capital, we consider the field of genomics as providing a rich source of investment opportunities. A significant proportion of the advances in medical care and public health over the next couple of decades will derive from a better understanding of the genetic impact on disease. The UK’s heritage in academic genomic research provides a strong foundation to capitalise on the substantial growth in applications within the field facilitated by the dramatic reduction in the cost of sequencing and efficiencies in data storage and analyses. All areas of therapeutics, diagnostics and personalised medicine will benefit from progress, but in particular we see opportunities around better understanding the heterogeneity of diseases, patient stratification and improved target identification.

Robert Tansley, Partner