WARRINGTON-based Applied Biosystems is among companies which supported a successful bid for a multi-million pound north west Genetic Knowledge Park, which has been given the green light by the government.

The new park, known as NoWGEN, will be based at the Manchester Royal Infirmary site and will bring together the medical profession, scientists and industry to deliver improved, more effective clinical genetic services.

The Warrington based North West Development Agency is providing funding of £1.6m towards building costs and other funding is being sought from European Regional Development Funds, with the total expected to be more than £7m.

NoWGEN will be part of a biotechnology cluster stretching across the region. The bid for the Park was led by five partners from universities and hospitals.

NoWGEN will be a resource for the people of the north west. It will provide access to information on different types of genetic diseases and the treatments available. It is one of six similar centres to be set up around the country.

Said Mike Shields, chief executive of the NWDA "This is fantastic news and a true testimony to the expertise that exists in the north west region. It again shows what we can achieve when we work together. The Genetic Knowledge Park represents a real opportunity to develop the excellent clinical genetics expertise in the north west, for the benefit of both patients and industry, within the proper ethical framework. It is a key infrastructure project within our biotechnology cluster programme and actively promotes the science/clinical interface, which is so critical to advances in drug discovery".

Terry Pizzie, vice president sales and marketing (Europe) of Applied Biosystems, said: "We are delighted with the news. We view this initiative as a positive and constructive step forward for the future of genetic research in the north west. We have supported this initiative since its inception and we welcome the opportunity to participate in the development of these plans".

Applied Biosystems hit the headlines in 2000, having made the DNA sequencer which cracked the human genome code.

The "gene machine" was the fastest DNA sequencer on the market. The main part of the machine was made by the company's California base and Applied Biosystems' laboratory in Warrington made a chemical kit used in the machine.