This project, which began in 2014, has generated over 30 petabytes of anonymized health data, including 1 billion de-identified images, and is supported by organizations like the British Heart Foundation and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.

The imaging effort involves comprehensive scans that create around 12,000 images per volunteer, capturing details about organs, bones, body fat, and even ultrasound images of neck arteries to assess stroke risk.

The 100,000th volunteer, Steve, participated to contribute to research that could benefit future generations, especially considering his family's health history.

The imaging project, which began in 2014, aims to track body changes over time and link initial scans to health outcomes in later life, with scans conducted from 13-hour sessions across four sites.

According to Paul Matthews, chair of the UK Biobank imaging group, these scans can identify individuals at high risk of dementia by revealing previously invisible changes in brain structure.

Since its launch in 2003, UK Biobank has collected extensive biological samples and health data from half a million volunteers, creating a rich resource for future research.

The project operates across four sites in England, with volunteers undergoing five-hour appointments that include multiple imaging technologies, and it runs 13 hours daily.

In addition to brain imaging, the project examines heart function and structure, providing valuable insights into heart disease genetics, as highlighted by researcher Patricia Munroe.

Research utilizing UK Biobank data has led to important discoveries, such as predicting common diseases, linking alcohol consumption to memory loss, and exploring MRI scans as alternatives for liver disease diagnosis.

Prof. Naomi Allen, the project's chief scientist, emphasizes that the imaging data is already being used to detect diseases early and improve targeted treatments.

The project’s data, which includes detailed health and anatomical information, is accessible to global researchers for a fee, supporting ongoing operational costs.

The initiative aims to track changes over time by re-scanning 60,000 volunteers, focusing on how fat distribution and muscle composition evolve with age, revealing concerning health trends.

The UK's largest human imaging project, UK Biobank, has achieved a significant milestone by scanning its 100,000th volunteer, marking a major step in an 11-year effort to understand aging and health.