Viking Genes

09/12/2025

Watch our Viking Genes Review of 2025!
We have achieved so much, thanks to your help and support. We couldn't have done it without you! Enjoy the highlights package. 👏

05/12/2025

It's !
So, a great opportunity to celebrate the brilliant volunteers we have across the world! You can see from the map where our volunteers live.
Our guide:
The Yellow pins represent where volunteers live with grandparents from Orkney
The Orange pins represent where volunteers live with grandparents from Shetland
The Red pins represent where volunteers live with grandparents from both Orkney and Shetland
The Blue pins represent where volunteers live with grandparents from the Western Isles/Hebrides
The Red pins represent where volunteers live with a combination of grandparents from Orkney or Shetland and the Western Isles/Hebrides.

Map data ©2025 GeoBasis-DE/BKG (©2009)

04/12/2025

FULLY-FUNDED PHD OPPORTUNITY AT UNIVERISTY OF EDINBURGH - PLEASE SHARE!
Translational Pathway to Implementation of Polygenic Risk Scores for Prostate Cancer
Prof Jim Flett Wilson is excited to announce a fully-funded PhD opportunity, starting in Oct 2026, as part of the Doctoral Training Programme in Precision Medicine, which is a 3.5 year programme with integrated study. He would of course be delighted if a good candidate from the Northern or Western Isles were to apply:
👇
https://usher.ed.ac.uk/precision-medicine-doctoral-training-programme/translational-pathway-to-implementation-of-polygenic
👇
More information on the programme can be found here: https://usher.ed.ac.uk/precision-medicine/about-the-programme

01/12/2025

Precision Medicine: We found that everyone in the study had at least one known genetic variant that could affect how they respond to certain medications. For some drugs, up to half of the participants had genetic findings that indicate they might require a change in the dose or type of medication.
Learn more about pharmacogenomics below:
👇
https://viking.ed.ac.uk/how-youre-helping-research/characterisation-pharmacogenomic-variation-shetland-orkney

01/12/2025

Read our new research via the link below: 👇
https://viking.ed.ac.uk/how-youre-helping-research/characterisation-pharmacogenomic-variation-shetland-orkney

01/12/2025

New Viking Genes Research! 🧬
Profs Jim Flett Wilson and Tim Aitman (University of Edinburgh), and Dr David Twesigomwe (University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa), analysed data from over 1,800 people from Orkney and Shetland who took part in Viking Genes, looking at variants in genes which influence the way drugs work in our bodies. This is part of a growing field called pharmacogenomics.

Professor Flett Wilson said:
"In the future, people will know a lot about their DNA, including details of the variants that influence how their body deals with medications. This means that when they need a prescription, the pharmacist will know which dose to start them on, rather than using trial-and-error, as is the case today. They’ll also know which drugs to avoid in that person, as they wouldn’t work or would provoke a bad reaction. We aren’t quite there yet for many reasons, but this paper provides some groundwork for what this would look like in the Scottish Isles."

Read more below: 👇
https://viking.ed.ac.uk/how-youre-helping-research/characterisation-pharmacogenomic-variation-shetland-orkney

Study sheds light on variation in genes that affect drug response in Scottish Islanders, paving the way for precision medicine.

30/11/2025

Happy to all our volunteers and supporters.
We thought it would be a nice opportunity to share a selection of photos from the Scottish Islands, and particularly of boats because St. Andrew is also the Patron Saint of fishermen/ fisherwomen.
Background: boats at Loch Leurbost, Isle of Lewis - Christine Morrison; top left: young fisherman in the Hebrides - Jim Flett Wilson: top right: Robert Anderson, fisherman and Viking Genes fundraiser supreme, Shetland - unknown; bottom: sailing boat coming back into harbour, taken on Humber rib boat near the Isle of Raasay - Craig Sinclair.

28/11/2025

There is currently, considerable media coverage on and .

This is a fitting time to share again this powerful volunteer story, which highlights the importance of our work.

A return of results letter from Professor Jim Flett Wilson, told John Arthur he is a carrier of the Whalsay variant, which can cause breast and prostate cancer in men.
Read more below:
👇
https://viking.ed.ac.uk/for-viking-genes-volunteers/volunteer-stories/john-arthur-story

Prostate Cancer UK Chris Hoy

25/11/2025

The new technology of proteomics!
Viking Genes study finds new links between proteins and diseases, such as the connections between the protein ‘leukocyte receptor tyrosine kinase’ (LTK) and type-2 diabetes, and the protein ‘beta-1,3-glucuronyltransferase’ (B3GAT1) and prostate cancer. Read our lay summary below: 👇
https://viking.ed.ac.uk/how-youre-helping-research/proteogenomics-drug-target-discovery-in-scottish-cohort

Study finds links between protein levels and diseases such as type-2 diabetes and prostate cancer.

21/11/2025

Viking Genes Shetland were recently invited by TotalEnergies to give presentations to their workforce at the Shetland Gas Plant. It was a great opportunity to build awareness of the Shetland Community Screening Project. Thank you so much for hosting us!
Pictured left: Sandra Laurenson, chair of Viking Genes Shetland; Dale Robertson, Terminal Manager, TotalEnergies; Elaine Jamieson, Viking Genes Shetland; Lizzie Leask, TotalEnergies.

17/11/2025

A very poignant story of Shetland sailor grand-uncles who both died during the First World War: Arthur Harrison and James William Harrison 🌺

https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/real-stories/ann-bianchi-ian-elliott-great-uncles-sailors-first-world-war

Ann Bianchi and Ian Elliott discovered their great uncles were both sailors from Shetland who died in the First World War