NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is celebrating a major achievement as a new study using genetic tests to personalise treatments reached its 1,000th patient.
The PHOENIX pharmacogenomics study is one of the largest trials of its kind and investigates how an individual’s genetic profile affects their response to 60 commonly prescribed medications.
It launched in April 2025 and has now successfully recruited over 1,000 participants.
Led by Professor Sandosh Padmanabhan and Dr Stefanie Lip, the trial is being co-sponsored by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and the University of Glasgow.
It is being carried out in partnership with the University of Glasgow’s Living Laboratory, the NHSGGC‑hosted West of Scotland Innovation Hub, and industry partners MyDNA and Agena Bioscience.
Participants are being recruited from across services in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and in NHS Golden Jubilee.
The approach reduces the need for traditional ‘trial and error’ medicine and can help boost medication response while reducing unwanted side effects.
The trial is open to adult in-patients of all ages in the QEUH who are being treated in a range of different specialties including cardiology, stroke, orthopaedics and gynaecology.
Professor Sandosh Padmanabhan, a Consultant at the QEUH and Pontecorvo Chair of Pharmacogenomics at the University of Glasgow, is the study’s Chief Investigator.
He said: “Reaching our 1,000th participant is a truly special moment for the PHOENIX team.
“To achieve this in just eight months reflects the extraordinary commitment of everyone involved – colleagues working across wards, clinics, laboratories, data and governance, often around the clock, and of course the patients of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
“Their willingness to take part in cutting‑edge research is what makes real innovation possible, and helps us to generate the robust evidence the NHS needs to bring pharmacogenomics into everyday clinical care.”
Professor Jesse Dawson, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Director of Research and Innovation, said: “This is a remarkable achievement and a proud moment for NHSGGC.
“The PHOENIX trial embodies the very best of our research culture – collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to improving care for patients today and in the future.
“Reaching 1,000 participants so quickly demonstrates both the dedication of the research team and the enthusiasm of our patients to support pioneering work.
“PHOENIX is establishing Glasgow as a leader in real‑world pharmacogenomics and precision medicine, and the findings from this study have the potential to reshape prescribing practice across the NHS.”
