Genomics has the potential to revolutionise healthcare delivery. Through studying the genes in our DNA, their function and influence on our body, genomic approaches are essential to enable better diagnostics and more targeted management of a wide range of diseases: from cancer to rare diseases to common conditions such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

The Maltese population has a unique genetic architecture, reflecting its shared genetic ancestry with European and Middle Eastern populations. Against this background, StudjuDWARNA aims to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the genomes of Malta. This is the first study to draw on a nationally representative cohort of biobanked samples and data, obtained from DwarnaBio, the Maltese national biobank led by the University of Malta. StudjuDWARNA will perform genomic sequencing and analysis of a reference Maltese collection from the general public. It will aim to explore the association between genomic architecture and both rare and common diseases, and eventually to relate genomic findings to clinical outcomes in longitudinal studies.

StudjuDWARNA also paves the way for the construction of a reference Maltese genome. This will be an incredibly powerful tool for future health research with the potential of developing more personalised healthcare and prevention strategies for the Maltese population.