Our DNA can influence whether we develop certain health conditions, even though our behaviour, housing, finances and other factors matter too. Genes don’t determine what our lives are like, but together with the environments around us, they play an important role. Combining all these different things in one study can help reveal what’s driven by our genes, what isn’t, and how our genes and environment work together.
Studies like Generation New Era have already helped improve the care given to people with common diseases. One of the earlier birth cohorts in the UK, which is following people born in 1958, collected DNA from its study members in the early 2000s. Their contribution enabled ground-breaking scientific research and discoveries that led to new treatments for common conditions like diabetes, bipolar disorder, and inflammatory diseases.