Health Legacy
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Health Legacy Study
IRAS ID
352127
Contact name
Sarah Finer
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Queen Mary University of London
Duration of Study in the UK
10 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
The aim of Health Legacy is to improve the health of future generations of people from diverse communities through genomic and health research that guides more precise and equitable approaches to prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease. Our initial research will focus on diabetes, hypertension and kidney disease, but will expand to wider areas of health and disease guided by the priorities of the communities we represent We will achieve this by delivering on the following objectives:
1. Characterisation of genetic variation in a new cohort of people from Black African and Black Caribbean backgrounds underrepresented in existing genomic resources. Correlation of genetic variation to health data and outcomes to guide precision approaches to disease prevention, diagnosis and management. (Stage 1 studies)
2. Recall of Black African and Black Caribbean, south Asian and white European people to undertake in-depth, hypothesis-driven studies to further elucidate the links between genetic variation and health and understand the impact of ancestral differences. (Stage 2 studies).Our two-stage study design mirrors the successful approach taken by Genes & Health, and facilitates both breadth (Stage 1) and depth (Stage 2) in our approach, ensuring both the acceptability/feasibility of study processes and the need for high quality scientific discovery. Stage 1 will build a new cohort of people from Black African and Black Caribbean backgrounds with brief and simple study procedures (~10 minutes, including saliva sample collection) delivered at scale across NHS and community settings. Stage 2 will use recall study procedures incorporating minimally-invasive clinical assessment, blood/saliva/urine sampling and qualitative interviews across 2 study visits.
Our diverse study leadership will work in close partnership with the communities we represent via a Community Advisory Board, engagement and PPIE activities. This will ensure Health Legacy delivers research to the benefit of our communities and overcomes issues such as mistrust and systemic racism.
REC name
East of England - Essex Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/EE/0134
Date of REC Opinion
12 Aug 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion