Our Informatics & Biobanking Theme builds on our strengths in bioinformatics and analytics, data linkage, patient and population cohorts and tissue biobanking, with the aim of providing the resources and infrastructure to carry out experimental medicine studies, prognostic research and biomarker discovery, validation and qualification across the BRC. Large-scale population studies offer unique potential for a wide range of investigations, generating important insights into specific diseases or conditions. Such studies require biological data from thousands of individuals. Through the BRC’s Informatics & Biobanking Cross-Cutting Theme, we are able to support these large-scale studies, ultimately leading to more effective prevention and treatment strategies.
Bioresources
With large well-phenotyped cohorts and patient collections, and stored biological samples, the Theme provides a key resource for clinical and experimental medicine studies. The London Life Sciences Prospective Population Study (“LOLIPOP”) is a major UK research study investigating the mechanisms underlying heart disease stroke, diabetes, obesity and other major medical problems. it has collected lifestyle information and samples from over 30,000 people in North West London. Part of the NIHR BioResource, the Airwave Health Monitoring Study (AHMS) has recruited more than 52,000 participants. These resources are providing concrete outcomes for patients. For example, results of the LOLIPOP study have enabled us to identify waist circumference and HbA1c as simple, readily accessible, clinical markers that can accurately predict future type 2 diabetes.
Health Informatics
Through the NIHR Health Informatics Collaboration (NHIC) we are moving towards using routinely-collected electronic clinical data to provide insights into diseases and their clinical management, including Acute Coronary Syndrome, renal transplantation, viral hepatitis, ovarian cancer and critical care. Analysis and visualisation of the large volumes of data generated is being carried out in collaboration with the College’s Data Science Institute (DSI).
Tissue Biobank
The Imperial College Healthcare Tissue Bank (ICHTB) provides an umbrella resource under which the collection of, and access to, human tissue for research use is regulated. It provides the legal and ethical frameworks to facilitate research bringing together expertise in basic biological science, physics and bioengineering, with clinicians, to enable speedy bench to bedside translation.
Key Individuals
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Professor Paul Elliott
Theme Lead, Informatics & Biobanking -
Dr Aldo Faisal
Senior Lecturer in Neurotechnology -
Dr Anna Hansell
Reader in Environmental Epidemiology -
Dr Ceire Costelloe
Director of Global Digital Health Unit -
Dr Evangelos Evangelou
Senior Lecturer -
Dr Mireille Toledano
Senior Lecturer in Epidemiology -
Dr Sarah Butcher
Head of Bioinformatics Support Service -
Mr Andrew Heard
Database Manager -
Professor Azeem Majeed
Professor of Primary Care -
Professor Brendan Delaney
Chair in Medical Informatics and Decision Making -
Professor Christopher Millett
Professor of Public Health -
Professor Elio Riboli
Director, School of Public Health -
Professor Gerry Thomas
Chair in Molecular Pathology & Director of Imperial Tissue Bank -
Professor Jaspal Kooner
Professor of Clinical Cardiology -
Professor John Chambers
Professor of Cardiovascular Epidemiology -
Professor Majid Ezzati
Chair in Global Environmental Health -
Professor Mauricio Barahona
Chair in Biomathematics -
Professor Paul Aylin
Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health -
Professor Paulo Vineis
Chair in Environmental Epidemiology -
Professor Robert Glen
Chair in Computational Medicine
