Wellcome Sanger Institute

12/11/2026

Scientists have developed novel ways of identifying new druggable sites in two families of proteins that could help design new treatments, and drugs with fewer side effects, for a wide range of conditions, from heart disease to diabetes and cancer.

The methods have been developed by researchers at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and the Centre for Genomic Regulation - CRG in Barcelona, Spain.

They allow researchers to create detailed functional maps of two types of proteins: G protein-coupled receptors, or GPCRs – a type of protein that sits on the surface of a cell, and transcription factors, or TFs – proteins that bind specific DNA sequences to control gene expression.

The results, published in two papers in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, mark the beginning of a ‘new era’ of targeted drug discovery.

Read the full story here: https://www.sanger.ac.uk/news_item/new-protein-maps-could-accelerate-precision-medicine/

Researchers have created maps of two types of proteins behind many diseases and challenge the view that transcription factors are undruggable.

12/11/2026

Congratulations to Jussi Taipale, Muzlifah Haniffa, and their collaborators for being awarded European Research Council (ERC) Synergy Grants! 👏

The ERC Synergy Grant is among Europe's most competitive and prestigious research funding grants, given to teams trying to tackle the most challenging scientific questions. Both Muzz and Jussi are co-leading six-year projects that have been awarded 10 million euros each.

The DevSkin project, co-led by Muzz, aims to identify and map the molecular rules that govern skin regional identity, enabling it to perform its specialised function in the distinct parts of the human body, and use this information to create region-specific skin organoids. This work will enable patient-matched grafts that retain anatomical properties, site-specific models for skin conditions, and scalable drug testing platforms for dermatological and regenerative medicine. 🔎

FIBERMAP, co-led by Jussi, aims to build detailed chromatin fibre maps from patient tissue samples to understand more about how the genome is regulated, uncover hidden disease mechanisms, and hopefully reveal novel therapeutic targets. 🧬

Both project teams are made up of multiple international collaborators, bringing together expertise from different research areas, including AI and machine learning. Read more ⤵️

Two international teams, involving Professor Jussi Taipale and Professor Muzlifah Haniffa at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, have both been awarded European Research Council (ERC) grants of 10 million euros each for their six-year projects.

10/11/2026

Emma Duncan, Technical Specialist at the Sanger Institute, takes us behind the scenes of working with patient-derived tumour organoids.

These 3D models allow researchers to explore how cancers develop, respond to drugs and become resistant to treatment. Emma’s work involves maintaining around 25 organoid models, carrying out large-scale drug screens and preparing cells for downstream single-cell sequencing.

Emma also shares her journey from human biology and molecular diagnostics to cancer research, the value of working across disciplines and industry, and how opportunities for professional development have helped build her skills and confidence.

Read more⤵️
https://sangerinstitute.blog/2026/11/10/shaping-cancer-research-one-organoid-at-a-time/

04/11/2026

Aggressive brain tumours follow predictable rules, not chaotic randomness, according to new research. 🔎

By mapping over one million cells across glioblastoma tumours, experts have discovered that the cancer cells organise themselves according to a consistent structural pattern across different patients.

Future research could find new ways to specifically target the cell types involved or discover ways to stop the next stage in tumour development, leading to new, much-needed therapies. 💊

Read more about this work, and what it could mean for the future, here ⤵️
https://www.sanger.ac.uk/news_item/uncovering-rules-for-aggressive-brain-tumours-could-lead-to-better-treatments/

29/10/2026

Meet dark genome expert, Yan Liang. 🦇

At the Sanger Institute, Yan studies DNA from across the bat family tree to learn more about their evolution and query the areas of the 'dark genome' that we know very little about.

Read the blog via the link below to learn more about Yan, why she studies bat genomes, and see some brilliant bat photos ⤵️

https://sangerinstitute.blog/2026/10/29/5-questions-on-bats-with-yan-liang/

21/10/2026

Meet Marissa Knoll 👋

Marissa studies respiratory viruses, looking at their DNA to glean information about how viruses spread. We spoke to her about what it was like getting her PhD in New York City during a pandemic, and what motivated her to move to Cambridge for a postdoc at the Sanger Institute.

Read the blog via the link below to learn more about bait capture, moving internationally, and the perks of living in Cambridge - including group punting trips ⤵️

https://sangerinstitute.blog/2026/10/21/cats-data-and-pandemic-preparedness/

13/10/2026

For clinician scientist Dr Ayesha Noorani, some of the most important research questions begin in the clinic – with something she notices, a pattern emerging or a question from a patient that she cannot yet answer.

“The questions come from the patients, and what’s important to them.”

Her work brings together cancer surgery and research at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, investigating how cancer develops, including genetic changes that occur before cancer becomes visible under the microscope. 🔬

Read her story here: https://sangerinstitute.blog/2026/10/13/what-patients-can-teach-us-about-cancer/

13/10/2026

Our PhD Applications are now open! Join a community nurturing the next generation of world-class genome scientists and clinicians.

Our PhD students work at the cutting edge of science. With three research rotations in your first eight months, you’ll explore different areas of genomics, develop laboratory and computational skills.

Explore our programme and how to apply:
https://www.sanger.ac.uk/about/study/phd-programmes/4-year-phd-programme/

📅 Apply by 9am GMT on Tuesday 24 November 2026.

06/10/2026

What can maths and machine learning reveal about how cells communicate? 💬

At the Sanger Institute, Amir Akbarnejad is using computational modelling to look for clues in cell-cell communication. 🔎

From mathematics and to computational biology, Amir’s journey highlights the value of bringing different disciplines together to tackle complex biological questions.

Read his story here: https://sangerinstitute.blog/2026/10/05/unpicking-cellular-communication-with-mathematical-models/

05/10/2026

The largest genetic study of cognition to date has been published, involving nearly half a million people of European ancestry. 🧬

This gives new understanding of the genetic factors that shape cognitive differences and can help us better understand certain health conditions, including neurodevelopmental conditions.

https://www.sanger.ac.uk/news_item/expanding-understanding-of-link-between-genetics-and-cognitive-ability/

Experts build a broader picture of how our genes impact our cognition, after statistically guessing data from UK Biobank participants who did not take a problem-solving test.