Ten thousand people have voluntarily donated DNA samples and medical history to the University of Cyprus center of biobanking and biomedical research, it said on Monday.

The DNA samples are the foundation of the research carried out at the centre, including the mapping of the DNA of Cypriots, research on kidney and heart diseases.

“Every DNA sample donated is a step towards finding solutions to the greatest challenges in the health sector (…),” director of biobank.cy and professor of medicine and molecular genetics Dr Konstantinos Deltas said.

By identifying characteristics of DNA, the researchers aim to find causes for genetic diseases and support further research.

The response of “Cypriot citizens of all ages, genders, religions, languages, nationalities and communities to become volunteers” was vital for the progress of the research, biobank said.

High donor numbers from the general population is crucial for the research as this allowed for analysis of the diversity of disease conditions, the biobank said.

In 2011, the Cyprus National Bioethics Committee gave approval for the centre, allowing it to operate until 2034.

In 2019 the project Biobanking and the Cyprus Human Genome Project was established. €15 million was provided by the government and another €8 million by UCY.

Those interested in donating DNA can contact 77771838 or 22 892815 or online at [email protected] or visiting https://biobank.cy