Sanger Science

23 December 2025
Understanding respiratory viruses in the age of the ‘super flu’
For many, flu season has come earlier this year with hospitalisations rising by more than 50 per cent in one week in the UK. The so-called ‘super flu’ is causing a media frenzy – but what actually is it? Why are we seeing it earlier than usual? And how can we be better prepared in the future?

11 December 202511.2 min read
Five questions on butterfly and moth genomics with Charlotte Wright
Drawn to genomics like a moth to a flame, Wellcome Sanger Institute Postdoctoral Fellow, Dr Charlotte Wright, shares with us how she uses genomics to shed light on the evolutionary history of butterflies and moths, and how they might change in the future.

9 December 202516.3 min read
Balancing innovation and ethics: Using human embryonic and foetal material for research
The use of embryonic and foetal material in research is an emotive topic. We break this topic down by taking a closer look at the promise of this work, the regulatory requirements necessary to conduct it, and how the Wellcome Sanger Institute is upholding these standards.
2 December 202512.7 min read
Why bacterial carriage matters for antimicrobial resistance
The CARRIAGE study reveals critical insights into the role of Staphylococcus aureus in antimicrobial resistance (AMR). We caught up with Dr Ewan Harrison to discuss how the CARRIAGE study impacts our understanding of how to tackle AMR.
28 November 202512.8 min read
How can we avoid cancer?
Imagine if our bodies held secret playbooks for stopping cancer before it ever gains ground. A new international research team – led by scientists at the Wellcome Sanger Institute – is setting out to uncover exactly those natural defence mechanisms. Their ambitious Cancer Avoidance project hopes to reveal insights that could one day help us halt cancer in its tracks.
11 November 202512.9 min read
Five questions on genomics in Latin America with Dr Patricia Abrão Possik
Despite its extraordinary genetic diversity, Latin America remains largely absent from global genomic studies. Dr Patricia Abrão Possik discusses efforts to boost regional research capacity and insights from her work on acral melanoma.
22 October 20259 min read
What is spatial transcriptomics?
Ever wondered what your cells are up to in their own neighbourhoods? Spatial transcriptomics is opening a new frontier where space meets gene expression, revealing hidden insights into how tissues function, interact and change in health and disease.
16 October 20258.9 min read
“I’m not trying to do science just for scientists. I’m doing it to try to solve important problems that will make a difference”: Jussi Taipale on genomics at scale and predicting gene expression
Professor Jussi Taipale joined the Wellcome Sanger Institute in January this year as a Senior Group Leader in the Generative and Synthetic Genomics Programme. His ambition? To predict gene expression directly from DNA sequence. In this blog, he reflects on his international research journey, how biology is scaling up, and why his research group aims to solve one of the biggest puzzles in genomics.