News

25 years of the Human Genome Project

21 July 2025

Professor Richard Durbin features on the latest The Naked Scientists podcast where they look at 25 years of the Human Genome Project. What is it? and what has it achieved? The Human Genome Project was unveiled in 2000 - a magnificent milestone that promised to transform our understanding of biology and medicine. You can...

Can genetics grow a better garden?

14 July 2025

Dr Aylwyn Scally features on the latest The Naked Scientists podcast. The interview explores the origins of genetics and its potential role in helping modern gardens adapt to climate challenges like drought and pests. You can listen to the full episode here.

Large-scale DNA study maps 37,000 years of human disease history

11 July 2025

A new study maps infectious diseases across millennia and offers new insight into how human-animal interactions permanently transformed our health landscape. A research team led by Eske Willerslev, professor at the University of Copenhagen and the University of Cambridge, has recovered ancient DNA from 214 known human...

Senior-author Hannes Svardal pinning Malawi cichlid specimens on a board for preservation.

How ‘supergenes’ help fish evolve into new species

16 June 2025

Researchers have found that chunks of ‘flipped’ DNA can help fish quickly adapt to new habitats and evolve into new species, acting as evolutionary ‘superchargers’. Why are there so many different kinds of animals and plants on Earth? One of biology’s big questions is how new species arise and how nature’s incredible...

J. Victor Moreno Mayar, Clifford Tsosie, Eske Willerslev and Thomaz Pinotti. Credit David Meltzer

Federal tribe uses ancient DNA to establish genetic link to ancestral sacred sites

9 May 2025

Using tiny fragments of bones and teeth dated to between 500 and 700 years ago, along with saliva samples from living members of the Picuris Pueblo, Willerslev and his team at the University of Copenhagen have demonstrated a genetic link between the Picuris Pueblo and the Pueblo Bonito site in Chaco Canyon. Located in the...

Successful Wellcome Trust Discovery Award

21 March 2025

We are pleased to announce that Professor Richard Durbin and Dr Felipe Karam-Teixeira have been awarded a Wellcome Trust Discovery Award for their research on genome evolution and function: 'Genome evolution driven by transposable element across the Tree of Life'. Their work focuses on how genome sequencing across species...

A structured coalescent model reveals deep ancestral links across all modern humans

21 March 2025

Recently published in Nature, Trevor Cousins, Aylwyn Scally and Richard Durbin are trying to understand how ancient human populations mixed and changed in size over time, which is key to studying human evolution. They developed a new genetic model, called COBRAA , that helps track how ancient groups split apart and later...

System to auto-detect new variants will inform better response to future infectious disease outbreaks

10 January 2025

Phylowave; The latest framework developed by researchers to identify more infectious variants of viruses or bacteria, including those responsible for flu, COVID, whooping cough and tuberculosis. Noémie Le Franq , lead author, has had her manuscript published in Nature on 01 January 2025. Noémie was a joint PhD student...

The Infinite Monkey Cage

18 December 2024

Dr Ben Steventon featured on the latest episode of the Infinite Monkey Cage, 'The Science of Baby Making', which aired on Thursday 05 December. Professor Brian Coz and Robin Ince were joined by Sara Pascoe, Professor Joyce Harper and Dr Ben Steventon to discuss all things embryology, IVF and artificial wombs. You can...

Professional Services Recognition Scheme - Award Winners 2024

18 December 2024

We are absolutely delighted to report that for the fourth year in a row members of the Department were announced as winners in the Professional Services Recognition ceremony on Thursday 05 December 2024. Emily Kempin was the winner of the individual award in the new Improving Our Environmental Performance category...