Based on an application by Denmark’s Ministry of Health, the Board of Directors of the Novo Nordisk Foundation has approved a framework grant of DKK 990 million (€133 million) over 4.5 years for establishing and operating the infrastructure of the National Genome Centre. The Foundation has awarded DKK 102 million of this to begin setting up the Centre’s data and information technology unit immediately in 2019.
In addition, the Foundation has awarded a grant of DKK 30 million to enable the Ministry to involve leading experts from Denmark and elsewhere in preparing a resilient project plan for establishing and operating the infrastructure of the Centre.
Hear more about the Centre and other exciting precision medicine Initiatives in the Nordic Region at the 3rd Annual Nordic Precision Medicine Forum. Click here to see more and register.
The goal is for Denmark to become one of the leading countries in this field, improving both the treatment and prevention of disease.
As a result of the initiative, genome sequencing facilities will be established in Aarhus and in Copenhagen as specified in the Ministry’s application. The Ministry expects that about 60,000 people will undergo whole-genome sequencing in the first 5 years of the Centre. The sequencing and data processing will be based at public institutions, and the Centre will give highest priority to security in storing and using the data in a central national database. An interpretation unit will support doctors in using the data to benefit patients.
The National Genome Centre is an independent organization under Denmark’s Ministry of Health. The Centre will be a hub for the visionary and balanced development of genomic medicine in Denmark. The Government of Denmark allocated DKK 100 million (€13 million) in the 2017 Finance Act to co-finance the work with personalized medicine for 2017–2020.
The Centre’s task is to develop and operate a unified nationwide infrastructure for processing genetic information.
An important goal for the Centre is to collaborate with the healthcare system in all five administrative regions to create the basis for improving diagnosis and targeted treatment to benefit each individual patient.