Viking Genes

05/08/2026

📢 Attention men of a certain age!

New Public Prostate Testing Events Now Available to Book

The Scottish Prostate Cancer Initiative is holding new public testing events in:

📍Stornoway - 31 August
📍Tarbert, Harris - 31 August
📍Portree - 01 September
📍 Fort William - 02 September

If you're aged between 40 and 80, don't miss the opportunity to get tested. Early detection saves lives. It’s a simple test, takes minutes.

Book online:

https://www.scottishprostate.com/Events/

04/08/2026

Viking Genes welcomes and supports the NHS Grampian BRCA screening project for people with Westray and Whalsay ancestry. We’re proud our research helped lay the foundations for this important move towards preventative medicine — and we’re continuing to plan a broader community screen for people across Shetland, covering more diseases and more actionable genetic variants.
Read more on the screening projects in the excellent Shetland News article below: 👇

A charity-funded project will offer genetic testing to thousands of people with ancestral links to Whalsay as well as Westray in Orkney.

Read more via the link in the comments below.

04/08/2026

Viking Genes welcomes and supports the NHS Grampian BRCA screening project for people with Westray and Whalsay ancestry. This important programme marks a step towards preventative medicine: helping identify people who may be at higher inherited risk before they become unwell.

We’re proud that Viking Genes research helped lay the foundations for this screening approach. The NHS programme will focus on specific BRCA variants linked to Westray and Whalsay ancestry, while our own planned Viking Genes community screen will be broader: covering more actionable genetic variants, more diseases, and people from across Shetland who may also be at risk.

This is why community-based genomic research matters: it can turn local knowledge into better prevention, earlier support, and more equitable access to genomic medicine.

Read more here:

https://viking.ed.ac.uk/screening-projects/nhs-grampian-brca-screening-westray-whalsay-descendants

23/07/2026

If you think you can help fundraise for Viking Genes, please visit our website to find everything you need to get started - message us with your ideas! 😊
👉https://viking.ed.ac.uk/support-viking-genes

08/07/2026

Prof Jim Flett Wilson said: "This generous support from the Shetland Health Board Endowment Funds is a major boost for the next phase of our work and brings us closer to making community genetic screening a reality in Shetland. We believe this project has the potential to help identify people at increased risk of serious inherited conditions earlier, giving them the opportunity to access appropriate advice and care. Shetland has already played a leading role in advancing genomic research through Viking Genes, and we're excited to continue working with the community to explore how these discoveries can contribute to better preventative healthcare in the future."

Shetland Health Board Endowment Funds has donated £50,000 to back the next phase of ‘life-changing’ Viking Genes community screening.

Read more in the comments.

08/07/2026

Prof Jim Flett Wilson said: "This generous support from the Shetland Health Board Endowment Funds is a major boost for the next phase of our work and brings us closer to making community genetic screening a reality in Shetland. We believe this project has the potential to help identify people at increased risk of serious inherited conditions earlier, giving them the opportunity to access appropriate advice and care. Shetland has already played a leading role in advancing genomic research through Viking Genes, and we're excited to continue working with the community to explore how these discoveries can contribute to better preventative healthcare in the future."

The Viking Genes screening project has secured a £50,000 donation from the Shetland Health Board endowment fund.

Read more via the link in the comments below.

08/07/2026

Prof Jim Flett Wilson said: "This generous support from the Shetland Health Board Endowment Funds is a major boost for the next phase of our work and brings us closer to making community genetic screening a reality in Shetland. We believe this project has the potential to help identify people at increased risk of serious inherited conditions earlier, giving them the opportunity to access appropriate advice and care. Shetland has already played a leading role in advancing genomic research through Viking Genes, and we're excited to continue working with the community to explore how these discoveries can contribute to better preventative healthcare in the future."

Shetland Health Board Endowment Funds has donated £50,000 to support the next phase of the Shetland Community Screening Project, delivered in partnership with the University of Edinburgh's Viking Genes team.

The project aims to make community genetic screening available to Shetland residents, helping identify inherited conditions earlier and giving people the opportunity to access advice, monitoring and treatment before symptoms develop.

This investment reflects a shared commitment to prevention, innovation and improving health outcomes for generations to come. 💙

Read more about how this funding will help bring community genetic screening a step closer to reality. You'll also find Elaine Falconer's inspiring story of how taking part in Viking Genes helped identify an inherited heart condition across three generations of her family, enabling relatives to receive potentially life-saving care.

Read the press release here - https://www.nhsshetland.scot/news/article/3203/shetland-health-board-endowment-funds-donates-50000-to-support-ground-breaking-viking-genes-research

Viking Genes The University of Edinburgh

30/06/2026

If you missed Prof Jim's inaugural lecture in April, you can catch-up via the page below. Jim is second up after Prof Kenny Bailie👇
https://medicine-vet-medicine.ed.ac.uk/news-and-events/video-collections/inaugural-lectures/inaugural-lectures-2026/college-of-medicine?

With professors Kenneth Baillie and Jim Wilson.

29/06/2026

Shetland's local hero, Sharon Deyell, says the opening of the Scottish Parliament was a surreal experience.

Sharon was invited to attended the Saturday ceremony in Edinburgh by Shetland MSP, Hannah Mary Goodlad, in recognition of her dedicated charitable efforts.

Over the years, the west-side stalwart has raised tens of thousands of pounds for various causes, including Clan Cancer Support and Viking Genes.

Sharon said that aside from speaking to the First Minister, John Swinney, one of the biggest highlights was meeting the Queen.

You can hear how the meeting went, along with other stories from across the isles, in our lunchtime bulletin on BBC Sounds 👉
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0nvr25g

Photo: Hannah Mary Goodlad

29/06/2026

A richly deserved honour for “local hero” and Viking Genes Fundraising Legend, Sharon. We can’t thank you enough for everything you have done for Viking Genes Shetland and your community 👏🏻

A charity fundraiser who was named Shetland’s “local hero” has enjoyed “the most special and memorable day” at the opening of the Scottish parliament.

Paywall removed for the story in the comments.