‘DwarnaBio’, the national population biobank: a genomic research resource
To date, approximately 300 have participated in this initiative
The University of Malta launched DwarnaBio, the country’s national population biobank, in June 2023. To date, approximately 300 have participated in this initiative which collects and stores biological samples, such as blood or saliva, from volunteer participants across the Maltese islands. These samples, along with health and lifestyle data, will serve as a resource for researchers investigating genetic links to various diseases.
DwarnaBio’s primary objective is to establish a comprehensive representative collection of biological samples and associated clinical and genomic data, with consent to access health records and for longitudinal follow-up.
One of the standout features of DwarnaBio is its dynamic consent system, accessible via the web portal dwarna.mt. Unlike traditional models, DwarnaBio will allow participants to actively manage how their samples and data are used in research.
Participants can amend or withdraw consent via the web portal, ensuring transparency and ongoing engagement. The portal will be further developed into a platform for disseminating research findings to the public.
This data helps scientists understand genetic factors influencing both common and rare health conditions
Through collaboration with the ministry for health and active ageing, DwarnaBio is in the process of performing whole genome sequencing on its sample collection, aiming to build a reference genomic database.
This resource will provide access to both clinicians and researchers to aggregate anonymised, genomic data from the biobank.
This data helps scientists understand genetic factors influencing both common and rare health conditions, while serving as an invaluable resource for the interpretation of genetic test results. Access and sharing of personalised data from DwarnaBio is regulated by an independent access committee. This initiative also forms part of Malta’s contribution to the pan-European 1 Million Genomes of Europe initiative.
DwarnaBio is hosted at the Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking within the University of Malta, which is part of the European network for biobanking (BBMRI-ERIC). This affiliation ensures that the biobank adheres to international standards for biobanking practices.
The project is open to volunteers from the general population and those interested can register via the dwarna.mt portal.
Photo of the week
The Duge Bridge in ChinaAt present, this is the world’s highest bridge at 565m, spanning China’s Nizhu River. Soon it will be out-topped by the Huajiang Canyon Bridge (Guizhou province, China at a height of 625m), which will slash a 70-minute trip to just one minute.
Sound Bites
• Researchers have developed a method that shows how the nervous system and sensory organs are formed in an embryo. By labelling stem cells with a genetic ‘barcode’, they have been able to follow the cells’ developmental journey and discover how the inner ear is formed in mice. The discovery could provide important insights for future treatment of hearing loss.
• Smaller than a grain of rice, a new pacemaker is particularly suited to the small, fragile hearts of newborn babies with congenital heart defects. This tiny pacemaker is paired with a small, soft, flexible wearable patch that sits on the patient’s chest. The wearable patch detects irregular heartbeats and automatically emits pulses of light. The light then flashes on and off at a rate that corresponds to the correct pacing. After the tiny pacemaker is no longer needed, it dissolves inside the body
For more soundbites, listen to Radio Mocha every Saturday at 7.30pm on Radju Malta and the following Monday at 9pm on Radju Malta 2 https://www.fb.com/RadioMochaMalta/.
DID YOU KNOW?
• Mad Max: Fury Road was due to be filmed in Australia but heavy rains meant the barren desert was suddenly full of wildflowers, so it was moved to Namibia instead.
• In 1810, Napoleon Bonaparte did not attend his second wedding which was to Habsburg Archduchess Marie-Louise. Her uncle stood in for the absent groom.
• The winners of the World Gold-Panning Championships are presented with a ‘gold’ medal. It is not made of gold.
• Denver Airport is larger than the city of San Francisco.
For more trivia, see: www.um.edu.mt/think.