Scientists seek faster DNA tests

DNA from thousands of people could be compared from one location

Scientists are hoping to develop software which would allow them to compare thousands of DNA samples and further investigate diseases.

Edinburgh University experts are writing software which would allow scientists to look at DNA from a wide variety of people at once.

Currently DNA is decoded by looking at each person's individual sample on a glass micro chip.

The new software would allow scientists to access entire networks of computers.

It would mean they could analyse large amounts of biological data from one computer without using specialist computing centres.

This could in turn help make it easier for researchers to investigate the genes and risk factors which play a major role in disease, and possibly explain why certain people are more susceptible to diseases.

Professor Peter Ghazal, of Edinburgh University, said: "Finding genes that are linked to disease is a major hurdle and applying powerful supercomputers will dramatically speed up the discovery of new drugs for drug intervention.

"This software will enable research to be carried out looking at genetic profiles of large groups of people at the same time, helping us to understand the role that genes play in disease and informing research into new treatments."

The two year joint initiative involving the division of Pathway Medicine and Edinburgh Parallel Computing Centre at the university has funding from the Wellcome Trust.