2021’s news highlights from the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Whether it's the continued impact of the Covid-19 pandemic or our world-leading science, our stories have been top news across the country and the world. Here's some of the most popular and interesting news releases from the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health in 2021. Enjoy! Whole genomic sequencing improves rare disease diagnosis : A world-first scientific study , published in the New England Journal of Medicine, has shown that whole genome sequencing (WGS) can uncover new diagnoses for people across the broadest range of rare diseases investigated to date and could deliver enormous benefits across the NHS. The pilot study of rare undiagnosed diseases involved analysing the genes of 4,660 people from 2,183 families - all of whom were early participants in the 100,000 Genomes Project. Early trial of multivariant COVID-19 vaccine booster begins in Manchester: A phase one trial of a multivariant COVID-19 Vaccine has been launched by US pharmaceutical company Gritstone in collaboration with The University of Manchester and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust. Initially involving participants aged 60+, its creators say the drug - called GRT-R910 - can boost the immune response of first-generation COVID-19 vaccines to a wide array of variants of Sars-Cov-2, which cause COVID-19. Sex drug can strongly suppress abnormal heart rhythms, finds study: The drug Viagra, used to treat sexual impotence, can strongly suppress abnormal heart rhythms known as arrythmias in sheep according to University of Manchester scientists.