The Kiang West Longitudinal Population Survey

Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.

To enhance the value and use of the KWLPS1, this grant has two work packages:
1) To reconsent all traceable subjects from among the 12,500 who donated plasma, DNA, urine samples and personal data to the Keneba BioBank (a component of KWLPS). This is to bring consent documents better in to line with best practice as promulgated by H3Africa, and to seek explicit consent to send DNA to commercial entities (initially the Regeneron Genetics Centre (RGC) who will exome sequence all available consented samples and whole-genome sequence a subset of 5000 at their expense).
2) Generation of long-read genetic and epigenetic sequencing data for enhanced molecular characterisation of participants from two key KWLPS cohorts. Research based on the KWLPS has recently generated world-leading insights into the effects of a mother’s periconceptional nutritional status on the epigenetic programming (methylation patterns) of the very early human embryo. Through this grant, we will whole (epi)genome sequence stored DNA from an additional 400 deeply-phenotyped infants using 3rd generation Nanopore PromethION technology recently introduced to our Genetics Platform at MRCG. This will constitute a major step forward and allow further interrogation of these fundamental biological mechanisms that we have demonstrated have implications for life-long health.