China launches plan for healthier, longer lives: gene sequence 1% of world’s population

The proposed Human Genome Project II could set in motion a ‘paradigm shift’ toward more precise public health, and a global research alliance

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Chinese researchers have initiated a plan to extend average health spans by improving medical practices such as screening tests for genetic diseases and rare disease diagnoses. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 4:00pm, 20 Sep 2024Updated: 4:15pm, 25 Sep 2024

A group of Chinese researchers has launched an international plan to increase the number of healthy years in people’s lives by proposing a new phase of the pioneering Human Genome Project to gain a deeper understanding of the human genome.

Building on the landmark achievements that generated the first human genome sequence two decades ago, the researchers have proposed to sequence the genomes of more than 1 per cent of the world’s population – 80 million people from more than 100 countries.

The data and findings would be used to extend the average health span of people by improving medical practices such as screening tests for genetic diseases and rare disease diagnoses, as well as contribute to the development of the evolving field of precision public health, according to their initial goals.

The concept refers to “using advanced technologies, data analytics and interventions to prevent disease, promote health and improve healthcare delivery at the population level”, according to the Human Genome Project II (HGP2) proposal, which was published in an editorial article in the journal Cell Research on September 11.

The researchers are from institutes in 15 countries: Australia, Belgium, Britain, China, France, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Russia, Singapore, Turkey, the United States and Vietnam.

“HGP2 certainly will not stop at 1 per cent of the world population; however, in achieving the goals set for the first 1 per cent, we believe that HGP2 will have initiated a permanent paradigm shift toward precision public health globally,” the team said in the article.