A GENETICS knowledge park highlighting new discoveries and their uses is to be created at a cost of more than £1million.

The London IDEAS Park will feature several innovative genetic research projects, training of nurses, doctors and other staff and a programme to engage and inform the public about developments.

Health Secretary Alan Milburn recently announced the creation of the £1.1m project, which will be based within the genetics services of the Kennedy Galton Centre at Northwick Park Hospital, University College, Imperial College and St George's Hospital Medical School.

Funding of over £3m has been attracted by the park which, Mr Milburn claimed, will help the NHS prepare for the genetics revolution.

Professor Anna Kessling, director of the Kennedy Galton Centre, will be responsible for co-ordinating the 'Knowledge Dissemination Unit'.

This will communicate the latest developments by genetic scientists through open days and work placements at the Watford Road site.

"I am absolutely delighted to be involved in the London IDEAS Park. Our involvement will enable us to do things that we have been unable to attempt previously. We have the opportunity to increase access to genetic knowledge throughout our community and it is a very exciting prospect," she said, adding that part of this will be carried out by professional translation of genetic information leaflets in languages such as Arabic, Punjabi and Gujarati.

The London-based scheme will be one of five new genetics knowledge parks and two national genetics reference laboratories.