How is genomic research being guided by patient and participant voices?

In this episode, we celebrate 10 years of the Participant Panel and explore how genomic research is being guided by patient and participant voices. 

Made up of people who have consented for their genome, or the genome of their loved one, to be included in the National Genomics Research Library, the Panel plays a vital role in shaping how research is designed, how data is used, and how genomics is communicated. From influencing policy discussions to to advising the Genomics England board, their work helps ensure lived experience is embedded from the very beginning. 

Over the past decade, the Panel has driven meaningful change. From advocating for greater transparency and accessibility, to challenging how the genomics community talks about genetic conditions. But beyond the impact, this episode focuses on the people behind the work: their motivations, experiences, and the realities of representing a wider community. 

Our host, Sharon Jones is joined by: 

• Kirsty Irvine – Chair of the Participant Panel and member of the NHS Genomic Medical Service People and Communities Forum 

• Lisa Beaton - member of the Participant Panel, panel member for the North East and Yorkshire GMSA and research and development for Harrogate Hospital Foundation Trust 

• Frances Allan – member of the Participant Panel and member of the following: 

• • CRUK Women+s Cancers PPIE at Cambridge
  • MHRA Yellowcard Biobank
  • Northumberland NHS health forum
  • Ovacome Healthforum
  • IMPRESS cancer diagnostic tool study participant 

You can find out more about the Participant Panel in our recent Genomics 101 episode which Lisa featured in, titled ‘What is the Participant Panel?’, and you can read about their timeline of achievements over the last 10 years.

 

“One of the things as participants that we're always really keen to get across, particularly to the scientists, is that behind every piece of data is a face and a name”

 

You can download the transcript, or read it below.

Sharon Jones: This time on Behind the Genes, we'll be celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Participant Panel, and we'll discuss how genomic research is being guided by patient and participant voices. The panel is made up of participants whose data is held in the National Genomic Research Library. They help us to put lived experience at the heart of our work.

My name is Sharon Jones, and in this podcast we cover everything from cutting-edge research to real-life stories in genomic healthcare. Joining me this time are Kirsty Irvine, chair of the Participant Panel, and Frances Allan and Lisa Beaton, who are also both members. Collectively, they wear many hats for a range of organisations, which are listed in the episode description. As you'll hear, this one is all about people power.

So back in 2016, the Participant Panel was in its infancy, with 12 founding members bringing lived experience of rare conditions. The idea was straightforward but radical: that the people whose genomes were being sequenced should have a real say in how the work was done. Over the decade since, the Panel has shaped some significant changes, from pushing for a service that let participants track their own samples, to publishing a language guide that changed how the genomics community talks about genetic conditions and disability. They've navigated the pandemic, welcomed new members and, in 2025, launched their first formal strategy.

This year they mark their 10th anniversary, and