UK Biobank and UKRI are taking advantage of the revolution in genetics analyses that makes large-scale sequencing of the human genome possible at an ever-quickening pace. With the ultimate goal to sequence all 500,000 UK Biobank participants, this investment as part of the Vanguard project will sequence 50,000 participants and help establish the world’s most detailed whole genome database – and further accelerate research into a wide range of diseases that cause disability and premature death in mid to later life.