A genetics research laboratory has reached a milestone in its efforts to recruit 1,000 volunteers for a prostate cancer study.

CariGenetics, the first genomics company in the world dedicated solely to Caribbean populations, has teamed up with a laboratory in St Lucia to create a genetics database — and has now passed the 250-sample mark.

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Caribbean men and one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in the region.

Yet Caribbean populations remain vastly underrepresented in global genetics research.

Scientists hope that genetic data will allow for earlier detection, targeted treatment and more equitable outcomes for men in the Caribbean and diaspora.

In Bermuda, 160 men have joined the study with results returned. In St Lucia, 119 men have enrolled.

Participants receive a prostate-specific antigen test and advanced sequencing to identify genetic markers linked to increased prostate cancer risk.

Carika Weldon, the founder and director of research at CariGenetics, said: “This study is personal. It’s about ensuring that Caribbean men are no longer left out of lifesaving research.

“With each sample tested, we’re rewriting the future of prostate cancer care for our region. And we want men to know getting tested is quick, easy and free for many who qualify.”

According to Dr Weldon, 60 per cent of volunteers have been tested successfully at CariGenetics’s Bermuda laboratory, helping to establish one of the region’s most comprehensive genetic data sets for prostate cancer in men of Caribbean ancestry.

The study is part of the company’s larger commitment to genetic equity and includes participants from across Bermuda and St Lucia — with plans to expand to additional Caribbean countries.

Devy Frederick, the chief executive and founder of GenTech Analytica, based in St Lucia, said that the partnership with CariGenetics was helping science serve people.

He added: “By bringing advanced genomic research to St Lucian men, we’re not only improving access to early detection but also helping to build a future where Caribbean data drives Caribbean solutions.

“This is a proud moment for St Lucia, and we’re honoured to be part of a movement that puts our men’s health first.”