Sanger Science

10 March 2026
Decoding sepsis and the secrets of the immune system
Sepsis is a killer, responsible for 20 per cent of all deaths around the world. Yet the condition is notoriously difficult to study. Dr Emma Davenport and her team are using genomics to uncover the biological mechanisms at work.

13 February 20267.7 min read
Nature’s power couples: Cosying up to symbiotic partnerships
From sponges to the human gut, partnerships in nature are everywhere. In this blog, we caught up with Sanger scientists who use genomics to study species that love living together.

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.