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AN AMBITIOUS global team aims to create new weapons in the war against cancer, and Singapore is one of its generals.
Armed with a $100 million war chest, the International Cancer Genome Consortium will see the world's top scientists joining forces to decode cancer's genetic blueprint.
Modelled after the Human Genome Project effort that sequenced all human genes, the new project hopes to change the face of cancer treatment, diagnosis and prevention.
'Cancer's complexity poses an enormous challenge,' said Dr Elias Zerhouni, director of the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH) which is part of the decade-long effort.
'NIH is highly encouraged that the worldwide scientific community is joining together to meet this challenge.'
The group will study over 50 types of cancers, taking tumour samples from about 25,000 patients.
The information will be released to researchers for free to help them fast-track their work.
Genes are playing an increasing role in the fight against cancer, and new cancer drugs are, more and more, targeting specific genes.
Having an intimate knowledge of cancer genes means doctors can better diagnose and treat the disease, the top killer in Singapore.
Read the full story in Wednesday's edition of The Straits Times.
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