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Department of Genetics

 
Read more at: Successful Wellcome Trust Discovery Award

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...


Read more at: A structured coalescent model reveals deep ancestral links across all modern humans

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...


Read more at: System to auto-detect new variants will inform better response to future infectious disease outbreaks

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...


Read more at: The Infinite Monkey Cage

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...


Read more at: Professional Services Recognition Scheme - Award Winners 2024

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...


Read more at: ERC Consolidator Grants 2024

ERC Consolidator Grants 2024

18 December 2024

We are delighted to share that Dr Henrik Salje has been awarded an ERC Consolidator Grant, as only 1 in 4 Life Sciences awarded in the UK. He will be exploring how host, immunity and mosquito factors combine to determine the evolving fitness of the dengue virus The title of the project is: Linking vector, virus and...


Read more at: Sir Kenneth Mather Memorial Prize 2025

Sir Kenneth Mather Memorial Prize 2025

22 November 2024

Many congratulations to Noémie Lefranq on being awarded the 2025 Sir Kenneth Mather Memorial Prize by the Genetics Society. Noémie was a joint PhD student between the Pathogen Dynamics Group at the Department of Genetics and the Pathogen Genomics and Evolution Group at the Department of Veterinary Medicine. She worked on...


Read more at: David P Judge 1948 - 2024

David P Judge 1948 - 2024

25 October 2024

David P Judge 1948-2024 david_p_judge.jpg David Judge was a computer scientist who pioneered Bioinformatics training in the University and more widely. In 1986 he started the University of Cambridge Bioinformatics Training Facility in the Department of Genetics and virtually single handedly developed and ran it until his...


Read more at: Paul Fannon awarded OBE

Paul Fannon awarded OBE

19 June 2024

The Department of Genetics is delighted to announce that Paul Fannon, a teaching associate in data science and machine learning in our bioinformatics training facility has been awarded an OBE for services to Education. Paul has taught many aspects of mathematics across the University and he won CUSU student-led teaching...


Read more at: Schmidt Science Fellows 2024

Schmidt Science Fellows 2024

10 June 2024

The Award The Schmidt Science Fellowships are highly competitive awards established by Eric Schmidt from Google that support a pathway to independence. Around 30 awards are made internationally per year to individuals with recent PhDs that are focused on analytical approaches in the sciences. We have two recipients from...