South Asia Biobank

South Asians are at increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, renal failure and other chronic diseases. The reasons underlying this increased risk are not known.

We will create a longitudinal population study comprising more than 180,000 people recruited from the UK and South Asian countries. We will assemble data on health, lifestyle and environmental factors. We will also collect and store biological samples. We will follow up participants for health outcomes over many years, including for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease and cancers. We will make the data and samples available to researchers worldwide, so that we can better understand, prevent and treat a wide range of chronic illnesses that are seen among South Asians, who comprise a quarter of the world’s population.