A £9 million study into genetics has led to a breaktrough that could pave the way for new treatments for seven of the most common diseases including heart disease, crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, high blood pressure, bipolar disorder and type 1 and 2 diabetes.

The Wellcome Trust Case Consortium is the biggest genetic study ever carried out. 200 British scientists and 50 research groups, in 2 years, screened DNA from 17,000 people, 2,000 patients per disease which resulted in 10 billion pieces of genetic information.

The key findings: Coronary heart disease claims 105,000 people per year and is the Uk's biggest killer. The new research discovered that a person can be 50% per likely to develop the disease if they carry 1 version of the risk variant in the bundles of DNA, in which the genetic code is written, found on chromosone 9.

3 new genes were discovered which increased the likely hood of a person developing Crohn's disease. One of these genes PTPN2 also has links with type 1 diabetes, this is the first genetic link between the 2 diseases.

In hypertension it was discovered that high blood pressure arises because of a wide range of interacting factors including a large number of genes.

Several genes were found for the first time which may have a real impact on the development of Rheumatoid Arthritis. however more research is needed but scientists hope that this discovery may lead to a cure.

4 new chromosone regions that increase the riskof type 1 diabetes were discovered as well as a link with Crohn's disease.

And a discovery of several novel genes involved in the development of type 2 diabetes and obesity. One of these genes influences the risk of type 2 through an effect on weight.

Finally is was uncovered that many genes influence the susceptability of and individual developing bipolar disorder. Several of the genes identified are involved in how nerve cells in the brain talk to each other.

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